Paddy Pimblett is already looking beyond UFC 329, making it clear he wants a future fight with Ilia Topuria after his scheduled bout on July 11th.
Pimblett is set to face Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329, where Saint Denis enters on a four-fight win streak, all by finish. Pimblett has been pursuing a matchup with former two-division champion Topuria for years and says the fight was close to happening before his decision loss to Justin Gaethje in January.
Reflecting on Gaethje’s later win over Topuria at the UFC White House event, Pimblett said, "Gaethje took him into that dogfight, dragged him into it, and Ilia’s never had that," and added, "Ilia’s never had to come back from adversity. Ilia’s only ever been the hammer. He’s never been the nail. That’s why after that fight with Justin that I had, I knew I had to come back stronger and better because I’ve done it before. I don’t think Ilia Topuria ever comes back the same."
Pimblett made it clear he wants to be Topuria’s opponent if and when the former champion returns. "I’d happily be his first fight back," he said. "We’ll find out what sort of man he is, if he does come back and when he does come back."
