It was only a matter of time before undisputed UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett ran into each other in Qatar. With a feud that’s been brewing for years, their encounter went exactly as expected: hostile.
In the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night Qatar on Saturday, Shem Rock and Luke Riley will make their debuts with the promotion. Both are teammates of Pimblett at Next Generation MMA in Liverpool, England. “The Baddy” will be in their corner when the action kicks off this weekend.
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Only that Topuria’s older brother, Aleksandre, is also set to fight on the prelims. The undisputed UFC lightweight champion has played a critical role in Aleksandre’s team, who will take on Bekzat Almakhan. In his UFC debut, Aleksandre defeated Colby Thicknesse by unanimous decision at UFC 312 in February.
What started as a non-vulgar greeting between Topuria and Pimblett took a quick turn and showed the real animosity that lies beneath.
“P***y,” Topuria shouted at Pimblett. “All right, chorizo, calm down,” Pimblett replied.
Topuria’s next opponent to be revealed at UFC Qatar?
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In the main event, Arman Tsarukyan will make his anticipated return against Dan Hooker. After a one-year layoff, “Ahalkalakets” will look to make his case for a title shot with a win over Hooker. Tsarukyan was set to challenge then-undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, in January. However, a back injury forced him to withdraw and kept him inactive.
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The native of Akhalkalaki, Georgia, recently revealed that it may come down to him and Pimblett as Topuria’s next opponent. A victory will be crucial for Tsarukyan, who is currently ranked No. 1 in the UFC’s lightweight rankings, while Pimblett holds the No. 5 spot.
“El Matador” captured the vacant UFC lightweight title with a first-round knockout victory against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June. Topuria became a two-division UFC champion, as he previously held the UFC featherweight title. While there is no official word on his next opponent, a grudge match with Pimblett has surfaced in rumors. All eyes will certainly be on the headliner come fight night.
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