The rivalry between Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett is one of the most heated in recent UFC history, with both fighters exchanging insults and threats over the years. But at UFC London last week, fans were left with their mouths open when the two had a brief, almost amicable encounter during the ceremonial weigh-ins. The surprising fist bump between them left many wondering if their long-standing feud had suddenly ended. However, ‘El Matador’ has since clarified the record. Speaking at the WOW 17 media conference, he revealed the exact scenario of when he becomes blood rivals with Pimblett.

If you thought the two had become the best of friends, you would be mistaken. The Spanish-Georgian described the contact as nothing more than two professionals acknowledging each other outside of competition. He said, “We just weren’t in our fighting roles. I went to support a friend of mine; he went to support another friend of his, then we met, and we greeted each other. At the end of the day, we are athletes. But if we enter the field of combat and we have to fight, then the story changes.”

However, it is worth noting that barely a month ago, Ilia Topuria’s attitude toward ‘The Baddy’ was far from friendly. The reigning featherweight champion had made it clear that he still carried an intense grudge against Pimblett’s previous comments concerning the Russian-Georgian war. “Just make sure we don’t cross paths anywhere… I’m going to take your f—– head off”,” he had said. And now, it seems like ‘El Matador’ is trying not to spill the bad blood in and out of the locker room. Just like Vegas, what happens in the UFC stays in the UFC.

But it’s disheartening to think that with Topuria preparing to go up to lightweight and Pimblett continuing to ascend in the 155-pound division, their paths may soon cross inside the Octagon. And, as ‘El Matador’ pointed out, once that happens, there will be no more laughter—only business. But till then, fans surely can enjoy the two bitter rivals being friends for a while. In fact, it wasn’t just Topuria who opened up about their newfound respect for the other. Even Paddy Pimblett revealed the exact thoughts behind the viral moment when the duo fist-bumped each other.

Paddy Pimblett reveals the behind-the-scenes of the fist bump

Despite the bad blood between them, Paddy Pimblett didn’t hesitate to tell supporters the whole tale behind the now-viral fist bump. Ilia Topuria had already stated that their rivalry was not finished, just on hold, but ‘The Baddy’ saw it differently. To him, the occasion was neither premeditated nor symbolic; it simply happened. Two guys who were meant to despise each other ended up sharing a split second of wordless understanding, not because they had to, but because it felt natural at the time.

“As I walked across, he looked at me. I was looking at him, and he did that. And then, obviously, on stage as I walked past him, we both just laughed and looked at each other. I thought it’d be quite funny to just go [fist bump], and he did that on my hand, like a high five,” he said. Well, it seems like the fist bump had no profound message; it was simply a shared laugh in an unexpected environment. Despite their previous tension, the moment was spontaneous, as if they had forgotten, even for a time, that they were supposed to be adversaries.

But ‘The Baddy’ is not naive. He knows Topuria is not the sort to let things go, especially given their history. A fist bump doesn’t erase long-standing enmity, and it won’t matter if they ever face off in the Octagon. With ‘El Matador’ advancing to lightweight, their impending clash is just a matter of time. Nonetheless, the fighting came to a halt in London for one night. There were no threats or insults—just a rare moment of decency that fans will remember long after the rivalry restarts. What do you think? Can the duo ever be friends? Let us know in the comments.