UFC president Dana White said that he likes the idea of a lightweight bout between two of his biggest stars, Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett.
Topuria is set to return to the UFC Octagon in early 2027, and he has been connected to a matchup against Pimblett, his long-time rival.
It seems like White, the one who makes the ultimate decision about what big fights the UFC books, likes the sound of this matchup.
Dana White Likes a Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria Fight
Speaking to Bleacher Report, White said he would be down for Pimblett vs. Topuria.
“Paddy Pimblett versus Ilia Topuria is a huge fight that makes sense and can happen and should happen. Those are the kind of fights I like talking about,” White said.
“Paddy Pimblett versus Ilia Topuria is a huge fight that makes sense and can happen and should happen. Those are the kind of fights I like talking about.”
Fight Makes Sense
A lightweight bout between Pimblett and Topuria makes too much sense, so hopefully, the UFC gets this fight booked as soon as possible.
These are two of the top lightweights in the sport right now; neither of them has a fight booked, and both of them hate each other. So, it just makes a ton of sense for this fight to get booked as soon as possible.
The UFC has begun booking its fights for early 2027, and a matchup between Pimblett and Topuria would be the perfect main event for a numbered UFC event. Even if there is no belt on the line between these two, they are still two of the biggest names in the sport, and the promotion could easily justify a numbered card for the pair.
So, we’ll see what happens here, but given that White seems more than thrilled with the idea of these two stepping into the Octagon against each other and scrapping, it does feel like there is very real momentum building towards the UFC booking these two against each other. If they do end up fighting, look for the fight to potentially take place in March or April as the main event of the UFC’s numbered events in either of those months, with Las Vegas, Nevada, and Phoenix, Arizona, mentioned as possible locations.
Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria? Dana White Likes the Idea of It