Comparisons between Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor have been circulating ever since the Spaniard captured the belt from Alexander Volkanovski. Since that press conference, Topuria has faced constant accusations of being a McGregor wannabe. Meanwhile, Paddy Pimblett has called him out for the same: trying too hard to be McGregor. According to Pimblett, Topuria isn’t just following a similar path; he’s becoming a try-hard version of ‘The Notorious.’
While talking on UFC Unfiltered, Pimblett recently said that some people claim that El Matador is better than McGregor, but the Irishman isn’t in his prime anymore. He adds that if McGregor were in his prime, he would’ve knocked Topuria out with that signature straight left. Adding to that, the British fighter claims Topuria is trying too hard to be like ‘The Notorious’ and is turning into a carbon copy of him, with nothing original in his persona.
“He’s trying to be Conor McGregor. He’s got the same tattoos. He even said the other day, ‘I’m gonna put my balls on your forehead,’ which is sort of what McGregor said to Chad Mendes. He’s just a carbon copy of McGregor,” he said.
Paddy Pimblett says Ilia Topuria is just a Conor McGregor wannabe 👀🗣
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) July 4, 2025
"He's trying to be Conor McGregor. He's got the same tattoos. He even said the other day, 'I'm gonna put my balls on your forehead,' which is sort of what McGregor said to Chad Mendes. He's just a carbon copy… pic.twitter.com/UIYGAX7nNj
While there are some statistical similarities between the two, both being double champions and sharing other milestones, the real question now is whether ‘El Matador’ can surpass Mystic Mac in terms of fame and global popularity. He’s on the right path as things stand, but only time will tell if he can truly step out of McGregor’s shadow and create his own legacy.
Ilia Topuria Calls For First-Round Win Over Paddy Pimblett
Ilia Topuria recently told TMZ Sports he’s very confident about his upcoming fight with Paddy Pimblett. He said the Pimblett fight means a lot financially and believes he will finish him quickly, possibly in the first round. Topuria also mentioned he could win with a triangle choke from the mount. He’s ready to take charge and make a strong statement in the fight.
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Although both fighters faced off after UFC 317, Dana White dismissed the idea of the fight happening that night. Still, if the matchup does take place, it will be exciting to see who comes out on top. It will be interesting to see if Topuria can secure another stunning victory and validate his bold predictions one more time.
Also Read: Arman Tsarukyan Drops Bold Prediction About Ilia Topuria’s Probable Matchup With Islam Makhachev
