Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria aren’t fighting each other at UFC 282, but you couldn’t tell that by the encounter they shared at the pre-fight press conference on Thursday.
Topuria used the opportunity to attack Pimblett after a fight at UFC London in March. Both were seated onstage. Topuria jumped in and sounded off as Jared Gordon, Pimblett’s opponent was responding to a question.
“He just quit when he saw me coming,” Topuria shouted. “When he sees me, he goes for the back doors.”
Pimblett dismissed any rivalry that might have developed after the incident many months ago, as Topuria fired back at him from the other end of the stage.
“He is obsessed with me.” Pimblett stated. He hasn’t stopped tweeting all week about me. He must sort his own life. This little bum is irrelevant.
” I haven’t been able to see him for a week because of the UFC. Cause when I saw him last time, he got a hand sanitizer bottle bounced off his [head]. Hand sanitizer boy! You’re known as hand sanitizer boy, you little mongrel.”
Back in London, the lightweights threw punches at each other before security intervened. But as they were separated, Pimblett tossed a bottle of hand sanitizer at Topuria. Pimblett obviously hasn’t forgotten that and used it during his encounter with Topuria on Thursday.
“Shut down,” Topuria shouted at Pimblett. “F*** you. If you want to speak to me one to one, I went to my country and slapped your forehead. I walk like a king in your streets.
“Stop yelling, I’m standing up to crush your face .”
That was when Pimblett asked Topuria for a confrontation onstage. That’s all it took for the undefeated lightweight prospect to get to his feet and make a move toward the 27-year-old fighter from Liverpool, England.
Of course, security was quick to stop Topuria before he could actually reach Pimblett, but that certainly didn’t stop the fighters from continuing to shout at each other.
“Do this, then you little ***** do something,” Pimblett stated. What will you do? You’ll do nothing. Now, sit down. You can now sit down and enjoy your little p ****.”
After cooler heads prevailed Topuria who faced Bryce Mitchell on the UFC 282 opening card addressed the possibility of a fight against Pimblett later in the year.
“I don’t think he has the balls to face me and close himself in the octagon with me,” Topuria said. “So f*** him. You see, he didn’t give me a response. Why? Because he’s scared of me.”
In response, Pimblett continued to feed into the animosity, though he dismissed any eventual showdown.
“You’re irrelevant to my life,” Pimblett said. Why would you make me afraid of you?” You’re a midget with little man syndrome. You’re tiny. You are tiny.
Given the disdain shared between them, Pimblett and Topuria could make the UFC’s matchmaking job very easy, especially if both are successful in their fights on Saturday.
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/12/8/23501124/ilia-topuria-rushes-paddy-pimblett-fighters-restrained-volatile-war-words-ufc-282-press-conference?rand=96749
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