Paddy Pimblett Targets Potential Ultimate Fighter Stint Against Ilia Topuria

Paddy Pimblett recently suggested that he would like to coach a season of The Ultimate Fighter against Ilia Topuria. The Liverpudlian stated that he intends to use the platform to mentally unsettle his rival, drawing comparisons to Conor McGregor's psychological tactics against Jose Aldo in 2015. Pimblett remains without a scheduled fight following his 52-second submission victory over Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329.

Ilia Topuria is currently recovering from multiple injuries sustained during a title loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250, including a broken nose, fractured orbital bones, and a shattered foot. While his team targets a return in early 2027, a potential rematch with Gaethje remains uncertain. Dana White has publicly noted that a non-title matchup between Pimblett and Topuria would be a sufficient headliner for a numbered UFC event.