Justin Gaethje has weighed in on a potential showdown between Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett, backing Topuria as the likely winner in a matchup between two of the UFC’s rising names.
Speaking at the 2026 UFC Hall of Fame event, Gaethje made his stance clear on Topuria’s abilities. “Ilia is one of the best in the world,” Gaethje said, later adding, “He’s one of the most dangerous fighters that there is and he’s a lot more dangerous than Paddy Pimblett.”
Gaethje did, however, highlight what makes Pimblett a tricky opponent. “However, Paddy Pimblett is goofy. He’s got a funky style, not goofy in a bad way. Being goofy is such an asset. He’s really hard to hit, really long. He moves in weird angles and at different times. That throws you off and that’s why he has success.”
Even with that praise, Gaethje still leaned heavily toward Topuria in a head-to-head scenario. “I think Ilia is way more dangerous. Fighting is crazy. In my mind, 97 out of 100 times, Ilia beats him up.”
For now, Pimblett’s focus is on UFC 329, where he is scheduled to face Benoit Saint-Denis in a pivotal lightweight bout on Sat., July 11, 2026. The matchup is described as potentially key in determining the next lightweight title challenger and marks Pimblett’s first fight since going five rounds with Gaethje in January, while Topuria is coming off his first career loss.
