"Everything is rumors so far" - Ilia Topuria gives honest update on UFC future amid Paddy Pimblett rumors

Ilia Topuria has addressed the rumors about his next fight, stating that he has not yet had any discussions regarding it with the UFC.

'El Matador' is fresh off his victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, where he claimed the vacant lightweight championship. Following the fight, speculations surrounding his first title defense opponent began to emerge.

In a recent interview with Diario AS, Topuria was asked about his next fight. In response, he said:

"There's really nothing official at the moment. I haven't had any official conversations with [the UFC] either. Everything is rumors so far. As soon as I get the call and we go into the details, I'll be able to tell you more. But for now, honestly, it's just all rumors."

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

When asked who Topuria would prefer as an opponent between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje, the champion replied:

"If it were to me, I think I'd rather fight Paddy because there's a history between us. And I think it would be a much more entertaining fight for the fans. At the end of the day, I compete to entertain everyone and give them a unique experience, and I think with Paddy, we could achieve that."

Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below (via @ChampRDS on X):

---

Paddy Pimblett explains why Ilia Topuria should be his next opponent

Paddy Pimblett is currently an undefeated contender in the UFC lightweight division and is coming off a victory over Michael Chandler in his last fight.

In a recent interview with Marca, Pimblett discussed the current matchups in the 155-pound division and mentioned that Ilia Topuria is the only fighter available for him to face.

"Right now, I'm struggling to get a fight. People talk a lot behind the scenes, saying, 'I want to fight him, I want to fight him,' and then when it comes time for the fight, they don't accept it. So I'm sitting in limbo waiting for the fight. I thought I was going to fight Gaethje in Abu Dhabi in October, but he's not going to be involved, and Dan Hooker is going to fight Arman Tsarukyan, and Charles [Oliveira] just fought Gamrot. There's no one else I can fight, apart from Ilia Topuria, so hopefully that fight will be sorted out."

Edited by Nilaav Gogoi