According to Ilia Topuria, Paddy Pimblett performed as expected when he defeated a less skilled opponent at UFC 314.
In Miami, at the UFC 314 co-main event, Pimblett achieved a dominant victory over Michael Chandler, securing a TKO in the third round and improving his UFC record to 7-0. Topuria, who has a long-standing rivalry with Pimblett, shared his reaction to this fight on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
Topuria acknowledged Pimblett`s success, stating, “He did a great job. He did what he had to do.” However, Topuria frankly assessed Michael Chandler, saying, “For me, Chandler has never been an exceptional fighter. I consider him to be of average skill. Who are his notable wins in the UFC?”
Topuria pointed out Chandler`s victories over Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson, adding about Ferguson, “when he was almost 40 years old.”
At UFC 314, Topuria was also in the spotlight as he officially relinquished his featherweight title, which Alexander Volkanovski then won against Diego Lopes in the main event. Topuria, who remains undefeated, is now moving 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 known for his exciting, fan-pleasing fighting style, but he believes that this alone is not sufficient for achieving true greatness in MMA.
Topuria described Chandler`s fights as “wars” and “almost a bar fight,” emphasizing that while they are highly competitive and involve constant exchanges of punches, they lack technical finesse and skillful execution.
He elaborated that such fights are “great” and “entertaining” for fans due to their wild nature. However, from a technical perspective, they lack elements like takedowns, control, submissions, smooth transitions, and calculated striking with combinations and strategic space creation.
Topuria concluded by calling fighters like Chandler “wild dogs,” acknowledging their entertainment value but stating, “I would never recommend to someone, ‘Watch this guy and learn something’” suggesting that Chandler`s style is not one to emulate for aspiring fighters seeking technical mastery.
