Ilia Topuria is a man in high demand right now.
Since winning the vacant UFC lightweight title by knocking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June, Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) has been linked to potential fights with both Arman Tsarukyan and Justin Gaethje.
However, it was Paddy Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC) who stepped into the Octagon to face off with “El Matador” immediately after that win. Given Pimblett’s long-standing rivalry with Topuria, former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz believes the UK star may have the inside track in the race for the next title shot.
"This thing's about paychecks at a time. We're prize fighters," Cruz said this week on the Anik & Florian Podcast. "We're not anything else. We want to say we're all these other things. We are prize fighters. You put a prize out there, we take the prize, you win it, or you lose it. Who's the biggest prize? We all know the answer to this between those three.
"So, if you're smart, you take that fight like that guy's the bag. Now, not to say the other guys aren't good, but the problem is Paddy, it's just that he promotes, he talks, he's got a very big package. It just makes sense to make the most money with that fight. But now with this new deal coming forward, too, does that change the layout of if you care who you fight. Now are you just looking for the better, easier matchup?"
While both Tsarukyan and Gaethje are currently ranked inside the top five at 155 pounds, Pimblett has yet to break through into the upper echelon of the lightweight division. His consecutive wins over veterans such as Tony Ferguson, Bobby Green, and Michael Chandler may not stack up as strongly against the résumés of his rivals, but Cruz insists that “The Baddy” would not be an easy matchup for Topuria.
"I think they're looking at the style matchup," Cruz said. "If you're smart, you're not saying Paddy is a layup, but you're saying stylistically is that a layup comparatively speaking to Arman Tsarukyan? That's the question. Not Paddy sucks compared to Arman.
"Right now, I like Paddy," Cruz said. "He's not what he was when he came in here. He has improved. I think people forget, like, fight by fight, you really do improve if you get the confidence. And he's gotten the confidence. It's not like he's gotten that L that kind of set him back a little. Like, his confidence has grown. So he stays in the gym, he gets back to training, and when that confidence grows, you're a hard guy to beat. And he’s got that right now. Gaethje's the opposite. Gaethje's found his humanity."
