Ilia Topuria poses with two UFC belts after victory against Charles of the Bronx. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram.
In the main fight UFC 317, Ilia Topuria fulfilled what Prometheus and knocked out Charles of the Bronx still in the first round, winning the lightweight belt (up to 70,3 kg). Right after the victory, the Spaniard had a surprise face-off with Paddy Pimblett inside the octagon, in a promotional move for a possible upcoming duel. The attitude, however, did not please Dana White.
In a press conference after the event, the UFC president criticized the improvised staredown, stating that it was outside of protocol and that he would not have allowed it if he had still been present at the cage. For him, the scene was a mistake by the organization.
“I don’t know who the hell let him in there. This should have never happened. Let’s start there. I was already back in my room, or this would have never happened,” Dana White said.
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Despite the staredown between the champion Ilia Topuria and the possible challenger Paddy Pimblett having attracted attention, she was not the only one at the event. In the previous fight, Joshua Van, after winning Brandon royval, entered the octagon to face the flyweight champion (up to 56,7 kg), Alexandre pantoja. According to Dana White, this staredown was previously authorized, and he made a point of explaining the difference between the two cases.
“Van is the No. 1 contender, and I just said the winner of that fight would get a title shot, so obviously the fans wanted that too. My issue with Topuria is that his wife and son were in the Octagon. That wasn’t a fight. It just wasn’t. It shouldn’t happen. That’s not our standard. I don’t give a damn if it was fun to watch or not. That shouldn’t have happened. Plus, he just won a second title in a higher weight class. It was a mistake by whoever allowed that to happen,” concluded Dana White.
Despite Dana White's disapproval of Paddy Pimblett to be the next title challenger, the Englishman emerges as a strong competitor, with seven wins and no losses in the UFC, the most recent of which was over Michael chandler. Other names mentioned in the dispute are Arman Tsarukyan, who was scheduled to replace the Topuria vs. Do Bronx fight, and Justin gaethje, who has already fought for the belt on two occasions, but ended up defeated on both occasions.
Ilia Topuria wants to resolve old rivalry with Paddy Pimblett
Paddy Pimblett e Ilia Topuria discussed at the press conference UFC 282 (Photo: Playback/YouTube)
The rivalry between Ilia Topuria e Paddy Pimblett It is not recent and began when the two were still competing in different weight classes. In 2022, the fighters had a disagreement in a hotel in London and almost came to blows. Now, with the Spaniard as lightweight champion, expectations are growing that they will finally face each other in the octagon.
In a recent interview with ESPN Deportes, Ilia Topuria declared that, if he could choose his next opponent, he would face the British. The reason, according to him, is simple: 'hatred' for his enemy.
“He (Pimblett) is a hypocrite. I remember we were at the same press conference once and he said he was fighting on the main card and I was fighting on the prelims. Now I’m thinking, I’ve got two belts, where are you? Who are you?” Paddy Pimblett Now? Honestly, if I could pick a fight, I would like to fight him because I hate him. He sucks. I would love to give this fight to the fans. I think it's been a long time since the UFC has seen a real fight. Two people who really want to fight each other. What better way to do that than in a fight in front of everyone, putting on a show? ", Topuria said.
Watch the face-off between Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett at UFC 317
IT'S GETTING HEATED #UFC317
Is Ilia Topuria vs Paddy Pimblett next?! pic.twitter.com/sWIEMbquQi
- UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) June 29, 2025
Check out all the results from UFC 317
MAIN CARD
Light weight (up to 70,3 kg): Ilia Topuria derrotou Charles of the Bronx by knockout at 2min and 27sec of the first round
Flyweight (up to 56,7 kg): Alexandre pantoja derrotou Kai Kara France by submission (rear naked choke) at 1min55sec of the third round – fight for the belt
Flyweight (up to 56,7 kg): Joshua Van derrotou Brandon royval by unanimous decision of the judges (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Light weight (up to 70,3 kg): Beneil Dariush derrotou Renato Moicano by unanimous decision of the judges (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Bantam weight (up to 61,2 kg): Payton Talbott derrotou Felipe Lima by unanimous decision of the judges (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
PRELIMINARY CARD
Average weight (up to 83,9 kg): Gregory Robocop derrotou Jack hermansson by knockout 4min and 20sec of the first round
Featherweight (up to 65,7 kg): Joseph Delgado derrotou Hyder Amil by knockout at 1min 26sec of the first round
Flyweight (up to 56,7 kg): Tracy Cortez derrotou Viviane Araujo by unanimous decision of the judges (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Light weight (up to 70,3 kg): terrance mckinney derrotou Viacheslav Borshchev by submission (hand triangle) at 55 seconds of the first round
Welterweight (up to 77,1 kg): Jacobe Smith derrotou Niko Price by submission (rear naked choke) at 4min 03sec of the second round
Heavy weight (up to 120,2 kg): Jonathan Diniz defeated Alvin Hines by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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