Dec 16, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Paddy Pimblett during UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

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Paddy Pimblett Unveils Confident Gameplan He Believes Can Dismantle Ilia Topuria’s Unbeaten Streak

Paddy Pimblett reveals he is ready to take on Ilia Topuria; reveals gameplan that will end Topuria's winning streak!

Dec 16, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Paddy Pimblett during UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Paddy Pimblett has never been short on confidence, and that’s exactly what got him this far. The Liverpudlian scrapper has become one of the UFC’s most talked-about personalities through sheer belief in himself and some serious fighting skills to back it up. His recent third-round TKO victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 314 catapulted him into the lightweight top ten, marking the biggest win of his professional career. That victory put him on the radar for potential title eliminators and superfights that seemed impossible just a few years ago.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect for Pimblett’s championship ambitions. Ilia Topuria recently moved up from featherweight to chase lightweight gold, setting up a title fight against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. If Topuria wins that fight, Pimblett believes the stars will align for a massive showdown between two fighters who genuinely can’t stand each other. Their beef goes back years and has included everything from social media wars to actual physical altercations in fighter hotels.

Paddy Pimblett Shares Gameplan That Could Change Everything

Pimblett isn’t just talking trash when he says he can beat Topuria. He has got a detailed strategy worked out. During a recent conversation with interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, Pimblett revealed his approach to dismantling the undefeated Spanish-Georgian powerhouse. His confidence stems from one key observation that most people miss when they watch Topuria fight. Everyone who faces Ilia tries to match him in boxing exchanges, playing right into his biggest strength. That’s exactly what Pimblett refuses to do.

“If Ilia wins and says he wants to fight me, the UFC will make that fight. Because they know it’s a money fight…We’ve already talked about gameplans to beat him. And I know how to beat him. No one goes for his weaknesses when they fight. Everyone just decides to have a boxing match with him. I’m not going to come out and have a boxing match with him. I’m going to beat him with my all-around MMA game.”

Paddy Pimblett talks a potential lightweight title fight against Ilia Topuria 👀

"If Ilia wins and says he wants to fight me, the UFC will make that fight because they know it's a money fight…

I know I'd beat him… I know how to beat him. No one goes for his weaknesses,… pic.twitter.com/uQlFanZ2Cn
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 15, 2025

His plan revolves around using his complete mixed martial arts skillset rather than getting drawn into Topuria’s preferred striking battles. Paddy sees weaknesses in Topuria’s game that other fighters have failed to exploit, mainly because they get caught up trying to prove they can stand and trade with one of the sport’s most dangerous knockout artists. Now it remains to be seen if Pimblett gets the next shot at the title and if so, if he can implement his gameplan.

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Ilia Topuria

Paddy Pimblett

Tom Aspinall

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!