Paddy Pimblett Criticizes Ilia Topuria 'Quitting' After TKO Loss to Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250
UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett had strong comments directed towards Ilia Topuria after his TKO loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House Lawn. The UK fighter refused to hold back in his criticism of Topuria, with whom he has a long history of animosity.
Pimblett had previously shared the Octagon with the current champion, Gaethje, in the beginning of the year for the main event interim title bout for UFC 324. He shared his honest thoughts in a recent interview with UFC on TNT Sports.
"When the going gets tough, he's a quitter"
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) June 16, 2026
Paddy Pimblett reacts to Ilia Topuria's loss to Justin Gaethje at the #UFCWhiteHouse#UFC329#UFC#MMA | July 11 | Stream TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/OWd82td1OH
"I thought Ilia had more about him. I didn't think he'd quit on the stool like a little b-," Pimblett said bluntly.
While he never disparaged Topuria's skills, Pimblett believes he overestimated the Spaniard's heart.
"I thought he'd carry on fighting, know what I mean?
"Some people got that dog in them, some haven't," he said in a clip of his TNT interview. "He proved [that] when the going gets tough, he's a quitter. If my coach said we're finishing it, I'd say no, we're not."
Pimblett also filmed his reactions to Topuria's performance, and the whole entire UFC Freedom 250 card, on his YouTube:
"The Baddy" started heavily criticizing Topuria during the fourth round, when "El Matador" started to slow down.
"You're quitting. You can see," Pimblett said, addressing Topuria through the television. "Never faced any adversity in your life, lad, and now you're facing it, and you're f- quitting like a little b-. I went five with him and kept f- biting down on my gummy and swinging til the last bell."
After the fourth round ended, and Topuria's corner threw in the towel, Pimblett was flabbergasted while also insulting Topuria.
"Oh my God, you're going to quit? Oh my God, you quit, you little b-," he reacted. "Oh my God, you quit like a little b-. My face was worse than yours, you little p-."
Pimblett Praises His Former Foe
Pimblett also gave credit to Gaethje for putting on an awe-inspiring comeback performance.
"Justin Gaethje, man, the ultimate spoiler. What did I tell you? I said he was going to win," Pimblett stated.
In his TNT interview, Pimblett was also singing Gaethje's praises for his inability to quit, something Pimblett is familiar with as he fought Gaethje less than six months prior.
"It was a scrap... Justin can drag a war out of anyone. I know that better than most," Pimblett stated. "He's a legend. Future hall-of-famer, and he deserves that win for his illustrious career. He deserves to become unified champion before he retires."
Pimblett Thinks He Got Hit Harder
Pimblett believes that, despite losing almost every round, his performance against Gaethje at UFC 324 shows he is much tougher than Topuria.
"I think I took some worse shots in the fight with Justin, and I carried on fighting. Kept swinging until the last bell, and I took a few. I basically got my brain poked by his thumb, know what I mean? And I carried on fighting."
Topuria, however, was able to drop Gaethje with hellacious body punches and nearly finished him in the second round:
ILIA TOPURIA IS GOING TO WORK AGAINST GAETHJE'S BODY!!!
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) June 15, 2026
[ #UFCWhiteHouse | LIVE ON @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/7Y30zZz8oD
That fact, however, is moot in Pimblett's opinion.
"I went the full five [rounds]. I didn't quit on my stool. I wasn't saying, ‘No más,'" Pimblett remarked, referencing Roberto Duran's infamous TKO loss at the hands of Sugar Ray Leonard during their 1980 rematch.
"He proved he is a quitter," Pimblett said of Topuria.
He also believed that the corner calling off the fight was an excuse for Topuria.
"People can say it was his brother who pulled him out, but if my coach said, ‘We're finishing it there,' I'd say, ‘No, we're not. We're carrying on, we're getting that last round in.' Simple as that."
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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 10:43 PM.