It’s been over a month since Ilia Topuria suffered the first defeat of his professional career at UFC Freedom 250. Entering the event as a massive -600 favorite for the first defense of his lightweight title, the Spaniard was overwhelmed by Justin Gaethje in the main event before being forced to retire on the stool at the end of the fourth round, handing the American a TKO victory.
The former champion walked away with serious injuries, including double orbital bone fractures and multiple facial cuts. While Topuria has since addressed the defeat with humility, his confidence leading into the fight made him the target of plenty of post-fight criticism, with fighters such as Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan among those who mocked him.
Now, longtime rival Paddy Pimblett appears to have taken the trolling to another level. On Monday, Pimblett revealed on social media that he had purchased the very stool Topuria sat on before the fight was stopped at UFC Freedom 250.
According to the post, the Liverpool star paid $13,700 for the red corner stool used during the June 14 event. Adding another jab at his rival, Pimblett captioned the post, “Collector’s item.”
View this post on Instagram
UFC Collectibles had officially listed the fight-used stool for auction in the days following Topuria’s brutal defeat, and it eventually sold for $13,700.
The listing read, “This is your chance to own a genuine piece of history forged during the biggest UFC event of all time. This red corner stool was used throughout the infamous UFC Freedom 250: Topuria vs Gaethje event and could be the perfect addition to your collection.”
UFC Collectibles is also giving fans the opportunity to bid on memorabilia from UFC 329, where Pimblett delivered one of the biggest wins of his career by submitting Benoit Saint Denis in just 52 seconds. Alongside one-of-one fight-worn jerseys, the red corner stool Conor McGregor sat on after his bout was stopped due to a devastating knee injury is also available for purchase.
The pair have been at odds for several years, dating back to their infamous altercation at a London hotel during UFC London in 2022, when a confrontation between the two nearly turned physical. Meanwhile, Topuria continues to recover from the injuries he sustained against Gaethje.
Over the weekend, the former champion was spotted celebrating Spain’s FIFA World Cup triumph over Argentina. Spain claimed its second World Cup title in history with a 1-0 victory over Lionel Messi’s Argentina in Sunday’s final. Topuria, who is of Georgian descent but was raised and resides in Spain, joined supporters at a watch party to celebrate the historic win.
View this post on Instagram
Videos circulating on social media showed Topuria carrying his son on his shoulders while singing along to his signature walkout song, “Cancion del Mariachi,” alongside jubilant Spanish fans. Notably, the former lightweight champion was wearing sunglasses indoors, something many fans speculated was related to the orbital fractures he suffered in his loss to Gaethje.
With both men continuing to trade shots outside the cage, anticipation for a future showdown between Pimblett and Topuria only continues to grow.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
