Ilia Topuria has given his assessment of Paddy Pimblett`s performance at UFC 314, where Pimblett secured a win against Michael Chandler. Topuria believes Pimblett accomplished what was necessary against a fighter he considers to be of a lower caliber.
In the co-main event in Miami, Pimblett achieved a dominant victory, stopping Michael Chandler in the third round and extending his octagon record to 7-0. Topuria and Pimblett have a well-known and intense rivalry that has developed over several years. During an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Topuria shared his thoughts on Pimblett`s recent fight.
“He performed well,” Topuria acknowledged about Pimblett. “He did what he needed to do. However, to be completely honest, I`ve always viewed Chandler as just an average fighter. Who are the significant opponents he has defeated in the UFC?”
Topuria continued, “He defeated Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson, but that was when Ferguson was nearing 40 years old.”
Topuria himself was a significant topic at UFC 314 after he officially relinquished his featherweight title. Alexander Volkanovski subsequently won the vacant title in the main event against Diego Lopes. Topuria, still undefeated, is moving up to the lightweight division with aspirations to challenge Islam Makhachev for the 155-pound championship in his next fight.
Regarding Chandler, Topuria recognizes that the former Bellator champion is popular with fans due to his exciting fighting style. However, Topuria argues that fan-friendliness is not the primary measure of greatness in the sport.
“Ultimately, when you watch his fights, you see wars,” Topuria stated. “They are highly competitive, almost like street fights. You see two individuals in the center of the octagon exchanging blows, but you don’t observe much technique or refined skills.”
“While these fights can be very entertaining for the audience because of the constant action, if you analyze them critically, you don’t see a high level of skill. You don`t see fighters attempting takedowns, controlling positions, executing sophisticated submissions or transitions, or displaying calculated striking – fighters who are setting up combinations, waiting for openings, and creating opportunities.”
“It`s more like watching wild dogs battling… and that can be exciting. You need personalities like him in the sport… However, I would never advise anyone to watch his fights to learn about advanced MMA techniques.”
