Chael Sonnen makes case for Ilia Topuria to face Paddy Pimblett before chasing Islam Makhachev UFC title fight

Chael Sonnen thinks it's time to settle the simmering rivalry between Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett. Topuria recently vacated the featherweight title to chasse a second title in the lightweight division. However, an immediate title shot seems unlikely, as lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has reportedly refused to grant Topuria one.

In a recent video on his YouTube channel, ex-UFC fighter and MMA analyst Chael Sonnen weighed in on the situation. He noted that Topuria's marketing potential as a challenger to Makhachev could have been significant if Topuria were still holding the featherweight title, potentially presenting a champion vs. champion bout.

Previously, Sonnen had commented that Topuria's fight with Makhachev could be tremendous if the Spaniard defeats a top contender in the division before their title clash. In his recent video, Sonnen proposed that Pimblett would be the opponent for Topuria, stating:

"The only fight where I don't jump out of my seat, by the way, is against Islam Makhachev. I'd watch it, I wouldn't know, a bigger Ilia... It would have a lot of pieces there for me, it would. But Ilia vs. Mr. hand sanitizer [Paddy Pimblett], a feud that's been going for four years... That's been brewing for a very long time. To act as though you're not going to rectify that when you're given an opportunity, that's something I couldn't wrap my head around."

Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below (7:01):

The rivalry between Pimblett and Topuria began in 2021, sparked by Pimblett's insensitive comments about the Russo-Georgian armed conflict, which triggered an emotional response from Topuria. The rivalry intensified with time and culminated in a physical altercation at the athlete's hotel, where Pimblett threw a bottle of sanitizer at Topuria.

Although both fighters have expressed the desire to fight each other, it could not come to fruition due to their competing in different weight classes. However, Topuria's transition to lightweight has opened the door of opportunity for the fight to take place.

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Ilia Topuria shares his thoughts on the recent fist-bump incident with Paddy Pimblett at UFC London

At the UFC London 2025 ceremonial weigh-ins, Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria exchanged a fist bump on stage. The incident led many to speculate if the pair had squashed their beef. However, Topuria clarified his position on the incident, stating:

“We just weren’t in our fighting roles. I went to support a friend of mine, he went to support another friend of his, then we met and we greeted each other. At the end of the day, we are athletes. But, if we enter the field of combat and we have to fight, then the story changes.” [H/T MMA Mania]

Pimblett, in a video on his YouTube channel, also weighed in on the incident and stated that it was an impromptu gesture, suggesting that it was not meant to end the rivalry or befriend Topuria.