Paddy Pimblett, a rising lightweight contender in the UFC, offered his viewpoint on why he believes Islam Makhachev chose not to face Ilia Topuria.
According to Pimblett, “If I were in Islam`s shoes, I would have accepted the bout with Topuria, defeated him, and then aimed for a fight against Jack Della Maddalena in Abu Dhabi in October. However, I understand Makhachev`s reasoning for declining the fight with Ilia – he has already secured wins over featherweights twice. While many suggest Topuria would emerge victorious, I don`t share that opinion.”
