Paddy Pimblett Reveals Wild Press Conference Plan for Potential Ilia Topuria Fight

Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria still hate each other four years after their infamous London hotel brawl. Their feud started online over personal insults and turned into a chaotic scuffle involving flying hand sanitizer bottles during a 2022 UFC fight week. The two lightweights have traded insults ever since. 

Now, with UFC CEO Dana White hinting at a potential matchup, Pimblett has outlined a wild plan to mentally break Topuria at the press conference before they ever fight in the cage.

Paddy Pimblett Plans to Bring Signed Hand Sanitizer Bottle to Press Conference

The rivalry began in March 2022 during UFC London fight week. Topuria and his team confronted Pimblett at the fighter hotel over past tweets that Topuria found offensive to his Georgian heritage. 

During the confrontation, punches were thrown. Pimblett ended up hitting "El Matador” in the head with a bottle of hand sanitizer. "The Baddy" has mocked Topuria by calling him "Hand Sanitizer Boy" ever since. 

The English lightweight recently revealed that he took the bottle from the hotel lobby, signed it and put it on display in his gym specifically to use as a promotional prop for their eventual face-off.

"I've still got that exact bottle of hand sanitizer I threw at his head, it's in the gym," Pimblett said. "I signed it and that's just sat in the gym. So if I do ever fight him, I'll have a press conference with him, that will be coming with me."

Their bad blood spilled into the Octagon at UFC 317 in June 2025, right after Topuria won the lightweight championship. Pimblett entered the cage for an unapproved, tense face-off where Topuria shoved him. 

UFC CEO Dana White was highly critical of the situation afterward. "I don't know who the hell let him in there," White told reporters at the post-fight press conference. "That should've never happened."

Dana White Weighs Options for Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett

Topuria recently lost his title to Justin Gaethje in the main event of the historic White House card. After recovering from multiple injuries, "El Matador” is finally ready to return, and the UFC has two clear options for him.

"The rematch with Gaethje is incredible. A Paddy Pimblett fight is amazing, those two hate each other," White said. "Both sound good to me."

Pimblett recently proposed that he and Topuria serve as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) to build interest in the matchup. White expressed great interest in the idea during a recent press conference.

"I love the idea of that, but a lot of things determine how things play out," White stated. "We'll see how the timing plays out, but that would definitely be a good one."

With White repeatedly confirming interest in the matchup, fans might not have to wait long to see if Pimblett actually brings the hand sanitizer bottle to their press conference.