Paddy Pimblett chasing Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira title winner after UFC 317
UFC star Paddy Pimblett has ambitious goals for his fighting career.
Paddy Pimblett wants to be more than just a big name in MMA. He wants to make history, and become one of the few fighters to win UFC titles in two different weight classes.
Pimblett's ambitious plan is one that he had long before joining the UFC. During his early days at Cage Warriors, Pimblett won and defended the Cage Warriors featherweight title, and then challenged for the promotion's lightweight belt, but unfortunately came up short. He wants to replicate the same now in the UFC, but this time with 100 percent success.
"I want to eventually go for two belts, but I want to get a legacy in my own division," Pimblett told MMA Junkie. "I'd like to defend the belt two or three times and then go for the welterweight belt."
Pimblett is not far from UFC gold at 155 pounds. He's currently undefeated in the UFC with seven straight wins. Pimblett's most recent triumph in the octagon came in April, when he stopped former Bellator champion Michael Chandler.
Pimblett feels he's one win away from getting his opportunity at the belt, and he doesn't care who he fights between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira, who are set to fight for the vacant lightweight title in the main event of Saturday's UFC 317.
"It doesn't matter. I'm always coming after the champ, so whoever wins (Saturday) night, that's who I'm going after," Pimblett said. "That's what you have to prepare for, to fight the champ. I'm not concerned about anything. Whatever fight I get offered, I'll take that fight, and then I'll be going for the title."
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Associated Press
30 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Ilia Topuria makes case for being UFC's pound-for-pound best with first-round KO of Charles Oliveira
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USA Today
36 minutes ago
- USA Today
UFC 317 bonuses include a Fight of Night winner worthy of HOF discussion
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Fox Sports
41 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Ilia Topuria makes case for being UFC's pound-for-pound best with first-round KO of Charles Oliveira
Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Ilia Topuria continued his ascension up the pound-for-pound ladder with a major statement via a vicious first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira to win the vacant lightweight championship Saturday night at UFC 317. Topuria used a sharp right hand to set up a devastating left hook that dropped Oliveira to end the bout at the 2:27 mark of the opening round, fulfilling his prediction of a first-round KO while sending the announced crowd of 19,800 into a frenzy. 'I always say I represent the new generation of mixed martial arts,' said Topuria, who closed a -400 favorite at BetMGM sportsbook. Topuria (17-0), who now has 10 first-round finishes to his credit, moved up to the 155-pound weight class following a successful campaign in the featherweight division last year. He claimed that belt with a second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski and defended his title by finishing Max Holloway in the third round of an October bout in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Topuria, who came in ranked fourth on UFC's pound-for-pound list, joined nine others who have held a UFC belt in two weight classes. He is the first undefeated fighter to become champion in two UFC divisions. 'I think tonight was his big night,' UFC CEO and president Dana White said. 'We have a star on our hands.' Oliveira (35-11), who has the most finishes in UFC history, was hoping to become the first fighter to win the lightweight belt on separate occasions. Fellow lightweight Paddy Pimblett was in the audience and summoned to the ring, where a heated exchange led to Topuria shoving the eighth-ranked contender and igniting a rivalry from years ago. 'Let's (expletive) fight! If you're ready, I'm here,' Topuria said to Pimblett before he entered the ring. White wasn't happy with Pimblett getting in the ring, knowing the history of bad blood between the two. The two have been at odds for some time, after they came to blows when Pimblett threw a bottle of hand sanitizer at Topuria's head in 2022. 'That was a heavy knockout, I'll give you that,' Pimblett said to Topuria. 'But you will never knock me out.' Replied Topuria: 'I'm going to submit you.' In the co-main event, flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja (30-5) successfully defended his belt by applying a rear-naked chokehold to defeat Kai Kara-France (25-12) at the 1:55 mark of the third round. It marked the second time the fighters met, nine years after their quarterfinal clash on the reality show 'The Ultimate Fighter,' also won by Pantoja, but by unanimous decision. Pantoja, who closed a -250 favorite and extended his win streak to eight fights, won the title two years ago when he beat Brandon Moreno by decision, and has now defended his title successfully four times. The 35-year-old Brazilian was joined in the ring after his victory by No. 12 Joshua Van, who put on a show of his own. Van (15-2-0) defeated No. 1 contender Brandon Royval (17-8-0) in a slugfest in which both fighters displayed incredible boxing skills. Van, who closed a -120 favorite, used an overhand right to drop Royval before closing out the bout with a severe ground-and-pound to secure the unanimous decision. The 419 combined significant strikes landed were the third most in a UFC fight, and the most in both a three-round bout and a featherweight clash. Moments after Pantoja's win, Van challenged Pantoja with both standing nose to nose before exiting the octagon. Other matches from the main card: In a lightweight bout, No. 9 Beneil Dariush (23-6-1) survived a first-round knockdown to defeat No. 11 Renato Moicano (20-7-1) via unanimous decision. In a bantamweight battle, Payton Talbott (10-1-0) used a much-improved ground game to register a unanimous decision over Felipe Lima (14-2-0). ___ AP sports: recommended
