Now that former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria punched his option to the light-weight title, who’ll be his subsequent opponent has been a scorching button matter.
Ought to he face No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan? Ought to he tackle No. 4 ranked Justin Gaethje, who says he’ll retire if he would not get title shot. Maybe he will get the struggle that he desires and is matched up towards former light-weight champion Islam Makhachev.
Former bantamweight titleholder Sean O’Malley would not suppose Topuria’s first title protection ought to be towards any of the beforehand talked about. “Suga” believes “El Matador” ought to be pitted towards Paddy Pimblett.
“Ilia versus Paddy is the struggle to make,” O’Malley mentioned on his YouTube channel. “That is the struggle to make. Easy as that. Ilia versus Paddy 100-percent. That is the subsequent struggle if it is not going to be Ilia versus Islam.”
Following Topuria’s UFC 317 first-round knockout win over former titleholder Charles Oliveira to seize the 155-pound championship, Pimblett entered the octagon to face-off with the newly topped champion. In any case, the 2 have historical past.
Associated: Ilia Topuria predicts how ‘straightforward struggle’ with Paddy Pimblett would finish
“That is going to be a f**king incredible press convention, incredible buildup, and a reasonably f**king epic struggle,” O’Malley mentioned a couple of potential bout between Topuria and Pimblett. “That is the struggle to make, Ilia versus Paddy. I am f**king excited. Let’s make it occur.”
The feud between Topuria and Pimblett dates again years. It started from on-line feedback by Pimblett about Topuria’s countrymen. That led to a bodily altercation on the fighter resort in London throughout UFC Battle Night time 204 struggle week in March 2022. The 2 practically got here to blows on the UFC 282 Press Convention later that yr.
Each Pimblett and Topuria need the struggle nevertheless it’s finally as much as UFC matchmakers. There is not any query that it is a struggle that will generate public curiosity and translate to large income for the struggle promotion.
