“Get It Booked!” Paddy Pimblett’s Fiery Ultimatum to UFC Over Ilia Topuria Feud

In the world of MMA, rivalries often simmer before they boil over, but few have bubbled quite like the feud between Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria. What started with a bottle of hand sanitizer and a few choice nicknames in a London hotel lobby has now escalated into one of the sport’s most talked-about grudges. And if Pimblett has his way, it’s only a matter of time before these two settle it inside the Octagon for all to see.

Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett

The origins of this spicy saga go back to March 2022, during UFC London fight week. A playful toss of a hand sanitizer bottle by Paddy Pimblett, some say it was soap, but let’s not get bogged down in hygiene details, quickly turned serious when Topuria took exception to the gesture and the accompanying taunts (“hand sanitizer boy” being just one of the cheeky monikers).

The situation nearly came to blows, with security stepping in to keep the peace. But it didn’t end there. Paddy Pimblett later added fuel to the fire with a controversial remark referencing the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, a comment that hit a nerve with Topuria, whose family has Georgian heritage. From that moment, what might have been a run-of-the-mill rivalry became something far more personal.

Despite operating in different weight classes for much of their UFC careers, the feud only intensified. Topuria, originally the featherweight champion, eventually made the leap to lightweight, while Paddy Pimblett continued his ascent in the 155-pound division. Interviews and social media became battlegrounds, with both fighters trading barbs and making it clear they had unfinished business.

Fast forward to UFC 317 in June 2025, and the tension reached new heights. Topuria, already a featherweight champ, made history by knocking out Charles Oliveira in the first round to claim the vacant lightweight title, becoming the first undefeated two-division champion in UFC history. But the real drama came after the fight. Paddy Pimblett, now ranked eighth at lightweight, was called into the Octagon, and what followed was a tense, chest-poking staredown that had security scrambling.

Ilia Topuria, with both belts draped over his shoulders, shoved Pimblett, and the two locked eyes in a moment that had fans buzzing and social media exploding.

The incident didn’t go unnoticed by UFC brass. President Dana White, who wasn’t present for the faceoff, later expressed his disapproval, saying Pimblett should never have been allowed in the Octagon and calling the confrontation inappropriate, especially with Topuria’s family in attendance. White stopped short of confirming a fight between the two, leaving fans and fighters alike in suspense.

But Pimblett isn’t one to stay quiet. In his latest comments, the Scouse scrapper threw down the gauntlet:

“He said in the cage there, he’s going to submit me. He won’t do that. He said it because he knows he can’t knock me out. Get it booked!”

The message is clear: Pimblett is ready, willing, and more than a little eager to settle the score. Ilia Topuria, for his part, has said Pimblett is “one fight away” from a title shot, hinting that a win in his next outing could set up the grudge match everyone wants to see. Both fighters have made it clear they want the fight, with Pimblett even comparing their rivalry to the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor feud. The only thing missing is an official announcement from the UFC.