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It was inevitable... and it happened on Friday morning, just after the official weigh-in at the Sheraton Hotel, where the UFC has its base camp in Doha for this UFC Qatar. After weighing in Aleksandre Topuria and Paddy Pimblett's teammates (Luke Riley and Shem Rock, who will also fight this weekend), the Englishman and Ilia Topuria (who was accompanying his brother) met at one of the entrances to the complex.
It was fleeting... but intense. UFC security prevented it from going any further. From afar, Paddy shouted at 'El Matador' while both fighters were held back and separated in front of MARCA.
A first 'clash' that, it is to be hoped, could be reproduced soon either at this afternoon's ceremonial weigh-in or at tomorrow's evening
It should be remembered that the animosity between Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria goes back a long way and reached its peak at UFC London 2022, when they coincided at the event and even threw water bottles at each other. In the past, Pimblett attacked the Georgian people on social media, something that did not sit well with 'El Matador'.