Paddy Pimblett Goes Off on “Fake” Ilia Topuria, Calls Him a Conor McGregor Copycat

Paddy Pimblett just went nuclear on Ilia Topuria during a recent interview. The Liverpool scrapper didn’t hold back when raising questions on the lightweight champ’s original nationality.

“The Baddy” questioned everything from Topuria’s nationality to his social media following. The worst part? He even accused the Georgian-Spanish fighter of copying Conor McGregor’s entire playbook.

Paddy Pimblett Raises Questions About Ilia Topuria’s Nationality

The beef between the two superstars has been brewing for years that started back in 2022 when Pimblett threw hand sanitizer at Topuria’s head during a hotel lobby scuffle. 

Things turned extremely sour at UFC 317 after Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira and claimed the lightweight belt. A near-brawl occurred then during a post-fight face-off between Topuria and Pimblett.

Pimblett thinks he should’ve been the one to welcome Topuria to the lightweight division. Instead, “El Matador” got fast-tracked straight to a title shot. That doesn’t sit right with the Scouser.

Speaking in an interview with Marca, he said, “I said when he moved up to lightweight, I should be the one to welcome him. I should have been his first fight at lightweight. But it never happened, and he got gifted a title shot.”

Pimblett explained that Topuria isn’t really Spanish — just born in Germany and pretending to be Georgian and Spanish to gain fans. According to Paddy, “He’s German. He’s fake. He just jumped on the coattails to get more followers.”

Paddy Pimblett goes OFF on Ilia Topuria and tells him to sign the contract 😳

“No one would know Ilia Topuria if it wasn’t for me. He made himself famous off the back of my name…

He’s so fake, like half of his followers. It’s been proven half his followers on Instagram are… pic.twitter.com/SWrgw8c3Hd

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 22, 2025

He also claimed half of Topuria’s Instagram followers are bought and called him the fakest person ever.  “He’s fake. He’s so fake, like half his followers. It’s been proven, half his followers on Instagram are bought. He’s the fakest person ever. He’s just a [Conor] McGregor copycat and I’m getting sick of him,” he added. [H/: MMA Fighting]

The trash talk clearly gets under Topuria’s skin. Pimblett noticed that “El Matador” stays calm and stoic against everyone else, but gets emotional when facing him. That psychological edge could matter if these two ever throw down.

Could Paddy Pimblett Actually Get a Title Shot Against Ilia Topuria?

The fight everyone’s talking about might actually happen. Reports suggest the UFC is eyeing Topuria vs Pimblett to headline their first Paramount card in Los Angeles this January. The promotion’s new seven-year, $6.7 billion broadcasting deal kicks off then, and they want a massive fight to launch it.

Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett is officially in the works for 2026… Paddy Pimblett has signed the contract, & claims Ilia Topuria hasn’t yet. Follow for updates on this event! 👊 #ufc #mma #UFC324 pic.twitter.com/yiWsAzWRUC

— West Till Death (@WestTillDeath) October 18, 2025

Pimblett right now sits at number six in the lightweight rankings after finishing Michael Chandler at UFC 314. Usually, that wouldn’t be enough for a title shot. But his star power and rivalry with Topuria could change the equation.

Arman Tsarukyan should be next as the number one contender, but he pulled out of a title fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 on 24 hours’ notice. Justin Gaethje is another option, but the bad blood makes Pimblett vs Topuria the bigger money fight.

“The Baddy” even claimed a prime McGregor would’ve knocked out Topuria with a straight left if they fought in their primes. Bold words from someone chasing his first UFC title shot.

ALSO READ: Arman Tsarukyan Tips Ilia Topuria to Defend the 155lbs Belt Against Paddy Pimblett Before Moving Up for Islam Makhachev

The lightweight division is watching closely. If this fight is officially scheduled, tensions will be high enough to skip. Both fighters are determined to finish the other, promising an intense matchup.