Paddy Pimblett has given Ilia Topuria his flowers following his KO win over Max Holloway last weekend — but is still of the opinion that he’d be too much for the UFC featherweight champion if they were to meet in the cage.

Pimblett and Topuria famously became involved in a pre-fight fracas prior to the UFC’s event in London in March 2022, with the Liverpool man throwing a bottle of hand sanitiser at his rival after they briefly exchanged words at the fighter hotel ahead of their fights with Kazula Vargas and Jai Herbert respectively — with the Liverpool man later bestowing the nickname ‘Hand Sanitiser Boy’ on the Georgian-Spaniard champion soon afterwards.

But with a weight division separating them, a possible match-up between Pimblett and Topuria remains unlikely. But despite congratulating Topuria on extending his record to a perfect 16-0 after becoming the first fighter to finish Holloway by strikes in the UFC 308 main event last weekend in Abu Dhabi, Pimblett remains convinced that he would get his hand raised if they were to square off in the cage.

“Hand sanitizer boy with the win,” Pimblett said on his personal YouTube channel post-UFC 308, as noted by MMA Fighting.

“Heavy,” he continued. “Well done, Ilia. Give you your due, lad, 16-0, ‘Hand Sanitiser Boy.’ Can’t wait for him to come back up to lightweight. Still think I’d beat him. I really do. I still think I’d beat him, whether he’s just beat Max Holloway or not.”

Pimblett has yet to experience defeat in his UFC run where he has won his first six fights in the organisation’s 155-pound fold, including last summer’s impressive submission finish of King Green. And this is the method of victory he foresees against Topuria too.

“[I’d beat him] by kicking him on the feet or taking him down and submitting him,” Pimblett said. “I genuinely think I’d beat him, but congrats, Ilia Topuria. Well done, son.”