Paddy Pimblett Draws a Line: Respect for Topuria, None for Tsarukyan

Paddy Pimblett has a list, and he's split it in two. The Liverpool lightweight says he'd verbally torch Ilia Topuria (17-1, 7 KO, 8 SUB) and Arman Tsarukyan (23-3, 9 KO, 6 SUB) if either fight materializes, while going soft on the men he actually likes. Speaking on the Green Light podcast, Pimblett said he'd rinse Topuria and Tsarukyan but wouldn't dream of trash-talking Max Holloway or Charles Oliveira, because he respects both.

It's not a random shortlist. Topuria sits at #1 and Tsarukyan at #2 in the lightweight rankings, which makes them the two most direct roadblocks between Pimblett and a title shot. He put himself back in that conversation with a quick finish of Benoit Saint Denis on the Holloway-McGregor card in July, though he still needs a win after falling short against Justin Gaethje for the interim belt earlier this year.

Beef vs. Respect

The Topuria animosity has history. Pimblett said the two have had bad blood for years and called him a 'little helmet,' but he stopped short of full disrespect — he'd love to fight him and give him grief while still acknowledging the résumé. Tsarukyan got no such courtesy. Pimblett dismissed him as a rich kid coasting on his father's money, arguing that without dad's backing he wouldn't be where he is, even while conceding he's a good fighter.

The irony is that Tsarukyan's recent form doesn't look like anyone's freebie. He submitted Dan Hooker with a second-round arm triangle and is booked against Mauricio Ruffy in the UFC 331 co-main event on Sept. 19. Six of his 23 wins have come by submission — not the profile of a fighter you dismiss on the mats.

Where the Title Picture Stands

Topuria, meanwhile, is in an unfamiliar spot. His June loss to Gaethje by fourth-round TKO was the first defeat of his career, snapping his unbeaten run and leaving his return date unbooked. Tsarukyan has suggested Topuria needs a win over a veteran name to climb back into the mix — which is exactly the kind of fight Pimblett would relish.

For now this is talk, not matchmaking. Pimblett needs the next win himself before the division hands him a top-two name. But he's told everyone how he'd handle Topuria and Tsarukyan, and it's clear the respect he shows Holloway and Oliveira won't be extended to either of them.