Paddy Pimblett tells Ilia Topuria to pick Georgia, Spain or Germany: 'You can't be all 3'

Pimblett told Joe Rogan the former lightweight champion "just wants more fans" and said he had heard Spain is turning on him, worse since his loss to Justin Gaethje.

Paddy Pimblett has told Ilia Topuria to choose between Georgia, Spain and Germany, saying the former lightweight champion should "stop trying to get a fan base from 3 different countries".

Pimblett was speaking to Joe Rogan on JRE MMA Show #188, released on Wednesday, the same episode in which he took aim at Arman Tsarukyan over his wrestling matches in RAF. He said he did not think Topuria "would have been built up that fast if he didn't use my name for clout". When Rogan disagreed, Pimblett said: "I respect his skill set. He is elite, his skill set, brilliant. I do. I respect him as a fighter. I just don't respect him as a person."

Rogan said Georgians were proud people. Pimblett replied: "That's what I mean though. Is he Georgian? Well, is he Spanish? Is he German?" Rogan said Topuria was "probably a little bit of all those", and Pimblett answered: "That's what I mean. You pick one, lad. You can't be all 3." He went on: "Because I reckon you've got a German passport because you were born in Germany, right? So stop trying to get a fan base from 3 different countries."

Rogan said Topuria was of Georgian descent, and Pimblett agreed that "his family are Georgian". Then he asked: "Why does he walk out with a Spain flag then?" Rogan said: "Well, I think he likes living in Spain." Pimblett answered: "Oh, he just wants more fans."

Pimblett also claimed: "I've heard everyone in Spain's turning on him anyway." He said he knew people in Spain and that "people are meant to be turning on him in Spain". Asked by Rogan whether that started before or after the Gaethje fight, he said: "There was little ruffles of it before he lost to Justin, but then obviously it went worse since he lost to Justin."

He added: "It'll be heavy if I fight him and he loses again, then he won't have any fans left."

Topuria lost his lightweight title to Gaethje in June, in the main event of UFC White House, when Gaethje stopped him at the end of the fourth round. It was the first defeat of his career. Topuria has since named Pimblett as the man he wants to face when he returns and said he is considering a comeback from April. No fight between the two is booked.

READ NEXTPaddy Pimblett says RAF is 'good for dickheads like Arman who need the publicity'Read the next story →

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