“He was very disrespectful to me, to my country, and to all my people. He [Pimblett] started talking about the war.. just make sure we don’t cross paths anywhere…I’m going to take your f—– head off,” said Ilia Topuria last month, reiterating that his feud with Paddy Pimblett was far from over. ‘La Leyenda’ made it abundantly clear that he held a deep grudge over ‘Baddy’s comments regarding the Russian-Georgian war and intended to make him pay. However, during UFC London last week, the event saw some surprising moments across several divisions.

Despite these standout performances, the spotlight shifted unexpectedly to UFC lightweight contender Guram Kutateladze’s corner. There, UFC stars Khamzat Chimaev and Ilia Topuria were present, offering their full support to the “Georgian Viking.” Meanwhile, hometown favorite and UFC lightweight #12 contender Paddy Pimblett was also present, supporting his teammate Nathan Fletcher. But the night took an intriguing turn when ‘Baddy’ crossed paths with ‘La Leyenda’, reigniting memories of their long-standing rivalry, which dates back to a heated hotel altercation in London in 2021.

Surprisingly, their feud seemed to reach an amicable conclusion that night, as the two met on stage during weigh-ins, exchanging a high five and sharing a rare moment of mutual respect. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Paddy Pimblett later reflected on the moment, explaining how the unexpected interaction unfolded: “I was staring at him over there, and he looked at me and went quite funny. 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—and he did that on my hand, like a high five. We might not like each other, but we just had a little laugh then.”

Despite this moment of civility, it’s hard to say whether their rivalry is truly behind them. This interaction came at a time when Ilia Topuria is planning to move up to the lightweight division. UFC President Dana White confirmed that, after defending his title once, ‘La Leyenda’ is looking to enter the promotion’s most competitive weight class, the 155lbs division, citing weight-cutting issues and his goal to become a two-division champion.

However, reigning 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev and other top contenders have yet to show interest in facing Ilia Topuria. So, what’s next for the Georgian-Spanish? Could a fight with Paddy Pimblett be in the cards? Let’s take a look at ‘Baddy’s potential timeline for 2025 and whether a showdown with Topuria could soon be a reality.

Paddy Pimblett outlines his path to a title shot amid Ilia Topuria’s uncertain future at lightweight

Ilia Topuria is currently eyeing a showdown with either Charles Oliveira or Islam Makhachev, but both fighters have already expressed a little interest in facing him. Islam Makhachev is focusing on a potential fight with Justin Gaethje, urging ‘La Leyenda’ to prove himself against other top-ranked contenders. Meanwhile, Charles Oliveira, who initially seemed open to a fight with Topuria, is now fixated on securing a title shot, with Gaethje’s name in the mix. As a result, the future of the 155-pound division remains uncertain.

On the other hand, undefeated Paddy Pimblett is steadily making a name for himself and is quickly positioning himself as a future title contender. ‘Baddy’ is set to face #7-ranked Michael Chandler at UFC 314 next month, with plans to use this fight as a stepping stone to a title shot. Speaking with TNT Sports, ‘Baddy’ revealed his roadmap: “That’s the plan. Beat Michael Chandler and fight again in Abu Dhabi in October. Hopefully, I get to fight someone in the top four or top five, and then I can ask for the title shot in 2026.”

So, what do you think? Would a fight between Ilia Topuria and Michael Chandler be a good move for Dana White & Co. to match two of the division’s top rising stars against each other? Or do you have another contender in mind for the Georgian-Spanish’s next challenge? Drop your opinion below.