Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett: Former UFC champion gives prediction for potential lightweight blockbuster

Paddy Pimblett is unlikely to defeat Ilia Topuria if the fighters were to meet in a potential blockbuster bout, says former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. 

Pimblett and Topuria appear to be headed on a collision course, with the duo holding real animosity towards each other.

Topuria is the UFC lightweight champion and is yet to lose a fight, and while there are several other combatants in line for a shot at the 28-year-old's title, Pimblett's meteoric rise since joining UFC has thrust the Briton into the conversation.

However, Woodley believes Topuria will be too much for the Liverpudlian to handle should the rivals step into the octagon together, but it would be a relatively low-risk proposition for Pimblett.

“Ilia is just the perfect striker," Woodley told Fruity King. "For Paddy it's one of those win-win situations for him. If he goes in there and beats him his brand rockets. If he goes there and loses it's not that big of a deal.

“I don't think he's gonna beat him. The only way he would beat him if he's mentally gets in Ilia's head and mentally gets him distracted from competing to the point Ilia wants to just fight him. But Ilia's not shown me so far that people are able to get into his head."

In fact, Woodley doesn't think anyone in the lightweight division can dethrone Topuria at this time.

“Same with [Justin] Gathje, I don't see a guy that I think will beat Ilia. I don't think Islam Makhachev can beat him, I don't think any of those guys can beat him.

“I think he wins the rest of his fights on the way out and retires. I don't think anybody's gonna beat him.”