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Paddy Pimblett is aware of the public perception of Ilia Topuria; he just doesn’t care.
Speaking to James Sweetnam on Tuesday, “The Baddy” acknowledged the hype around the two-division UFC champ but dismissed it, saying, “[I’ll] absolutely smash his face in for him. I can see me beating him anywhere the fight goes, to be honest. People have put him on a pedestal now, they think he’s this big amazing thing. I’ll bring him crashing back down to the earth in a big way.”
Topuria (17-0), who vacated the featherweight title earlier this year, won the vacant lightweight strap with a knockout of Charles Oliveira in the main event at UFC 317 in June, but the identity of his first challenger remains unclear.