Paddy Pimblett claims Ilia Topuria ‘running’ from Alexander Volkanovski for key reason

Paddy Pimblett 'can't believe' his rival Ilia Topuria vacated the UFC title.

Divisions apart no more with champion Topuria leaving the featherweight division behind, along with any chance for a title rematch against former champ Alexander Volkanovski. The apparent reason being weight cutting issues to 145lbs.

Pimblett, who has butted heads with Topuria for years, doesn't think that's the only factor behind Topuria's move up...

Ilia Topuria vacated the featherweight title to move up to lightweight. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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"He's Running Away From Alexander Volkanovski..."

At UFC 298 last year, Topuria knocked out Volkanovski in the second round, having to walking through Volkanovski's line of fire to do so. "The Baddy" believes Topuria got leftovers from Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev, who had knocked out Volkanovki with a headkick four months prior to his title defense against Topuria.

"He's running away from Volk," Pimblett said of Topuria in an interview with Sportsnet's Aaron Bronsteter. "Think he knows that if he catches Volk with that punch, and it's not 12 weeks after he's just been headkicked, ground and pounded by Islam, it doesn't knock him out."

"Volk was winning that fight," the #12 UFC lightweight contender continued. "So, I think he thought, 'Oh, I'm good [not] fighting Volk again,' made him move up."

UFC's Ilia Topuria — Alexander Volkanovski drew first blood against Ilia Topuria, peppering him with punches prior to a second-round TKO loss. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Pimblett Says Topuria Didn't Have To Vacate Title

Alexander Volkanovski is hardly the only contender waiting on a title fight, Diego Lopes fighting him for the vacant strap at UFC 314 next month and Movsar Evloev right there in the title picture as well with 19-straight victories.

"He had Volk, Lopes, Evloev to fight. I think if he would've done three defenses, he wouldn't have had to vacate his belt," Pimblett explained. "He would've just moved up and forth with him, tried to be double-champ, tried to copy his idol, Conor McGregor... copied his tattoos and all that. The little sausage."

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Looks like there's no love lost between Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria.

Paddy Pimblett is undefeated in the UFC. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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