Ilia Topuria Targets Paddy Pimblett for 2027 UFC Return After UFC 250 Loss
Updated
Updated · Sherdog.com · Nov 6
Ilia Topuria Targets Paddy Pimblett for 2027 UFC Return After UFC 250 Loss
3 articles · Updated · Sherdog.com · Nov 6
Summary
April 2027 is when Ilia Topuria says he is considering a UFC return, and he named Paddy Pimblett as the opponent he wants next.
Topuria told ABC Diario that his loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 was the worst day of his career, saying he even thought about retirement after feeling he had already achieved everything.
Pimblett is a natural target because their feud has simmered for years, stemming from comments Pimblett made about Topuria’s home country, Georgia.
Dana White has separately said Topuria will be back in 2027 and that the UFC is already working on his next matchup in the lightweight division.
Will Ilia Topuria's lingering self-doubt from his devastating loss to Gaethje cost him his highly anticipated 2027 grudge match against Paddy Pimblett?
Is Topuria's targeted 2027 return against Pimblett a genuine quest for redemption or just a lucrative final payday before his impending retirement?
Could the infamous 2022 hand sanitizer altercation be the ultimate marketing tool for Topuria and Pimblett's blockbuster UFC comeback fight next April?