Mar 22, 2025; London, England, United Kingdom; Paddy Pimblett, UFC Lightweight fighter, watches as Jai Herbert (red gloves) fights against Chris Padilla (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

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Paddy Pimblett Ups His Rivalry With Ilia Topuria; Calls Him A ‘McGregor Clone’

Paddy Pimblett goes off on Ilia Topuria, calling him a Conor McGregor clone; and not in a appreciative way!

Paddy Pimblett has carved out his own lane in the trolling and trash talking department. He brings his Liverpool charm and sharp tongue to every microphone he touches. The Englishman has built a reputation for getting under opponents’ skin with his colourful comments and never-back-down attitude.

But Pimblett’s latest target isn’t just any fighter; it’s the new lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. The Georgian-Spanish fighter has been making waves with his perfect record and devastating knockout power. Their rivalry goes back to March 2022 when they shared a UFC Fight Night card in London, and things got heated between them backstage. Since then, these two have been circling each other, waiting for the right moment to settle their differences in the octagon.

Paddy Pimblett Compares Ilia Topuria To Conor McGregor; And Not In A Good Way

Pimblett didn’t hold back when discussing Topuria on UFC Unfiltered, dropping what might be the biggest insult in modern MMA. He called the champion a “carbon copy of McGregor,” pointing out similarities in everything from tattoos to trash talk. This comparison cuts deep because every fighter wants to be seen as original, not as someone copying the Irish superstar’s playbook. Pimblett specifically mentioned how Topuria used a line about putting his b**ls on someone’s forehead, which McGregor famously said to Chad Mendes years ago.

“He’s just a carbon copy of McGregor. Some people can’t see through that even though you see some people now saying he’s better than McGregor, but he’s not. In the prime, at the same time, McGregor would have knocked him out with the straight left.”

Paddy Pimblett said that Ilia Topuria is just a carbon copy of Conor McGregor:

“He’s got the same tattoos… he’s just a carbon copy of McGregor…

In his prime, McGregor would’ve knocked him out with a straight left.”

VIA | @ufc pic.twitter.com/zPnR8TODK0
— FEDZ_MMA (@Fedzmma) July 4, 2025

What makes this rivalry interesting is how Pimblett claims to have gotten under Topuria’s skin like no other opponent has managed. According to ‘The Baddy,’ the champion stays calm and collected against everyone else but becomes emotional when facing him. This psychological edge could be crucial if these two ever meet in the octagon.

The potential fight between these two could be massive for the UFC. We have an undefeated champion with knockout power against a charismatic contender who knows how to sell a fight, plus has an iron chin. Pimblett’s record of 23-3 with a perfect 7-0 UFC streak puts him in contention. Whether Topuria is really copying McGregor or just being himself, this rivalry has all the ingredients for a blockbuster showdown. Fans would pay good money to see this fight materialize!

(Image Credit: Peter van den Berg – Imagn Images)

Conor McGregor

Ilia Topuria

Paddy Pimblett

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!