UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria may be sidelined as he works through personal matters, but he isn’t losing sleep over the promotion’s decision to crown an interim champion in his absence. In fact, he says he expected it.
In November, Topuria announced he would be stepping back from competition, prompting the UFC to book Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for an interim belt at UFC 324 on Jan. 24. The matchup and the creation of the interim title drew immediate criticism from fans who questioned its necessity and wondered why top contender Arman Tsarukyan wasn’t slotted in instead.
But speaking with ESPN Deportes, Topuria made it clear he knew the plan in advance and fully supported the promotion moving forward without him, at least temporarily.
“Because of my personal situation, they knew I couldn’t compete in January,” Topuria said. “They decided to make the fight for the interim title between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje. To me, it seems very well-deserved… but at the end of the day, they will have to deal with the real deal.”
Gaethje vs. Pimblett: A Divisive, High-Stakes Matchup
Gaethje has held interim gold before, defeating Tony Ferguson in 2020 before falling short in a unification bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov. Since then, he’s gone 4–2, most recently defeating Rafael Fiziev.
Pimblett enters UFC 324 riding a nine-fight winning streak and is 7–0 in the UFC, but questions around his résumé persist. His narrow win over Jared Gordon and three straight victories over aging veterans Michael Chandler, King Green, and Tony Ferguson have done little to silence critics.
Still, Pimblett’s popularity and the UFC’s promotional backing have kept him in the spotlight.
Topuria says he understands why this matchup was made and that what happens next depends heavily on who wins. Topuria surprised many when he teased that Gaethje winning might actually complicate the UFC’s roadmap.
“If Justin wins, the UFC has different plans that I can’t talk about,” he said. “If they offered me to fight Justin at the White House, that would excite me.”
But he also suggested the promotion may be envisioning a different scenario one involving Pimblett.
“I don’t know how capable [Gaethje] will be of ruining the UFC’s plans and Paddy Pimblett’s plans,” he said. “It’s difficult. Not impossible. I wish him luck.”
And then came the warning: “If you beat Paddy, you will have to be locked in an octagon with me. I don’t know if that’s very lucky.”
Topuria Breaks Down the Fight Itself
While Topuria and Pimblett share a heated rivalry, the champion gave a fairly measured breakdown of the matchup:
Pimblett is not an elite takedown artist.
Gaethje’s leg kicks and power are serious weapons.
Pimblett has been hittable in past fights.
“Paddy is not someone who easily takes people to the ground,” Topuria said. “Justin has heavy hands, heavy kicks… we’ve seen Paddy take a lot of hits. It’s a very exciting fight.”
The champion reiterated that he’s dealing with ongoing personal matters unrelated to competition and that his return timetable is uncertain.
“I prioritize the welfare of my family, of my children,” Topuria said. “As soon as everything is solved, I will be back in the octagon to give the show everyone deserves.”
In the meantime, Gaethje and Pimblett will fight for an interim belt that Topuria views as legitimate but temporary. Because as he made clear, whoever leaves UFC 324 with gold around their waist won’t truly be champion until they beat him.