Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett grudge match next? — ‘That’s not going to happen’ unless …

Former UFC Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria sets his sights on two-division glory in the UFC 317 main event his weekend (Sat., June 28, 2025), facing former Lightweight king Charles Oliveira at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

While Topuria has a tough opponent in front of him for 2025’s International Fight Week, there is one name looming that would be potentially the biggest fight in the promotion: Paddy Pimblett, with whom Topuria has a bad blood history.

But “The Baddy” isn’t next in line—yet. Topuria insists Pimblett needs one more win to cement his No. 1 contender status and elevate their showdown to must-see status.

“That’s not going to happen,” Topuria told Ariel Helwani when asked if Pimblett would get the next title shot after Oliveira. “He’s one fight away from a title shot. He needs another [win] to make our fight even bigger. If he gets one more, I think we’ll have the biggest fight in the UFC at the moment.”

Two names stand out as Pimblett’s next test: Justin Gaethje or UFC 317 backup fighter Arman Tsarukyan. Topuria favors a Gaethje matchup, predicting an easy win for Pimblett due to their contrasting styles.

“Him vs. Justin Gaethje would be good because I think [Pimblett] would beat him easily because of the style matchup,” Topuria said. “It’s not that I don’t like Gaethje. I’m actually a huge fan of his fights. I enjoy watching him fight; he’s one of those guys who takes a lot of punches and throws a lot of punches. I love to watch him fight, but I think Paddy can get that win easily.”

While a Topuria-Pimblett bout could be massive, Topuria cautions it might not break pay-per-view records if held in Europe, where the time zone misaligns with U.S. prime-time viewership. A stadium showdown in Spain would be electric, but Topuria believes America is the stage for maximum impact.

With Pimblett expected in Las Vegas for UFC X this week, expect a response from “The Baddy” soon.

For the rest of the UFC 317 fight card and PPV lineup click here.