Is Ilia Topuria trying to reach the same level of fame as Conor McGregor? Paddy Pimblett certainly thinks so. Their rivalry has been escalating, with both fighters taking shots at each other. So, what did the Brit say about Topuria’s attempt to emulate Conor McGregor? Stay tuned as we dive into another episode of MMA Roundup!
From the Conor McGregor fiasco, we will move forward to a new addition to the lightweight division and finally, we will conclude our segment with a piece of information about Jalin Turner. So, without any further ado, let’s get started.
Paddy Pimblett calls out Ilia Topuria for being the fake Conor McGregor
The 2022 hotel altercation between Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria seems to be escalating into a full-scale rivalry. With ‘El Matador’ relinquishing his featherweight title and moving up to the lightweight division, speculation is growing. While the UFC has yet to announce Topuria’s next fight, it appears Pimblett may step forward to test the former featherweight champion at lightweight.
In his latest confession, Paddy Pimblett has come forward to emphasize that Ilia Topuria has been impersonating Conor McGregor for a long time now, “I think it’s Conor McGregor effect. Everyone wants to be Conor McGregor. Ilia Topuria’s the worst for it. He copied his chest tattoo and his back tattoo and all that, he just wants to be Conor McGregor.”
He further added, “But you can’t be Conor McGregor when you have the charisma of a tin of beans.” Pimbeltt is set to clash against Michael Chandler at UFC 314 on April 12 and a victory against the former Bellator champion might give him a chance to clash against Ilia Topuria. But for now, let us move on to another lightweight, who has barged into the extremely stacked 155 lbs division.
Ignacio Bahamondes enters the top 15 of the lightweight division
Ignacio Bahamondes has stormed into the top 15 of the lightweight division with his stellar performance at UFC 313. The Santiago, Chile-born stepped into the Octagon against Jalin Turner with one goal in mind—and he delivered, completely dominating ‘The Tarantula’ and submitting him via triangle choke in the very first round.
Welcome to the lightweight rankings, Ignacio Bahamondes (@jaulabahamondes).
“La Juala” debuts on the list in latest update following his win at #UFC313, with Jalin Turner departing the top 15.
Additionally, no movement for either Justin Gaethje or Rafael Fiziev at 155 pounds. pic.twitter.com/NYh6O5Pgxn
— John Morgan (@JohnMorgan_MMA) March 11, 2025
Well, this victory against Turner has elevated Bahamondes to the #15th rank in the division. Jalin Turner’s subsequent retirement has made this possible as well. Interestingly enough, there is no change for Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev. Well, now that we know about Bahamonde’s rankings, let us move on to the last segment of the day which includes his opponent Turner as well.
“My kids are getting older,” Jalin Turner reasons on retirement
Jalin Turner suffered a tough loss against Ignacio Bahamondes at UFC 313, submitting to a triangle choke in the very first round. This marked Turner’s fourth defeat in his last five outings. As the loss hit him hard, ‘Tarantula’ realized it might be time to consider wrapping up his career. However, what is the original reason behind his retirement? Well, Turner has come forward to answer it.
Turner emphasized that he was planning a retirement after UFC 300, however, he kept on but the time has come forward to make the choice, “I was battling signing the fight contract because I didn’t know if I was retiring or not, didn’t know how much longer I wanted to keep doing this. My kids are getting older. I don’t want to keep taking damage. Training camps are hard. Life has really taken its toll the past 11 months, so (I) just need to step away for a little bit, maybe forever,” said Turner.
Throughout his career, Jalin Turner was able to breach the top 15 of the lightweight division. At 29, one could argue that we had not yet seen him in his prime yet. Well, what are your thoughts on his career so far? State your opinion in the comments below.
The post MMA News Roundup – Paddy Pimblett Accuses Ilia Topuria of Copying Conor McGregor; New Contender for Islam Makhachev’s UFC Division; Jalin Turner Reveals Reason for Retirement at UFC 313 appeared first on EssentiallySports.
