Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett separated after UFC 317 confrontation

Paddy Pimblett was shoved by Ilia Topuria after staking his claim for the first shot at the new UFC lightweight champion.

After his swift defeat of Charles Oliveira in the first round of the UFC 317 main event, Topuria hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath when Pimblett bounded into the octagon to confront him. With adrenaline running high, Pimblett acknowledged Topuria's victory by saying, "Well done, lad, well done, that was a heavy knockout. I give you that, respect, but you will never knock me out."

The new two-weight world champion Topuria shot back, calling Pimblett a "p****y" as Pimblett insisted he couldn't replicate his performance against Oliveira on him. Topuria fired back at the challenging Brit: "Watch what is going to happen with you," adding "I'm going to take your head out. I'm going to submit you, you little p*****. I'm going to put my balls on your forehead, you p****." A push from Topuria subsequently ended the heated showdown as security guards split up the pair.

Later, Dana White, the UFC's head honcho, expressed regret over Pimblett’s encroachment into the cage. Showing his disapproval, White said: "I don't know who the hell let him in there. That should've never happened. Let's start there. I was already back in my room, or that would've never happened."

Despite the drama, White remained non-committal about awarding Pimblett a shot at the title, given that the Brit sits at No.8 in the rankings. "My thing with Topuria is his wife and kid are in the octagon," he added. "That's not the fight. It's just, yeah. It shouldn't happen. That's not really what we do. I don't really give a s*** if it's fun to watch or not. That shouldn't have happened. Plus, he wins a second title in a higher division. It was a bad call by whoever let him in there."

Arman Tsarukyan, ranked the No.1 contender, used social media to suggest that the new champion is avoiding him. "It was never supposed to be Charles," he posted. "I can finish Ilia, simple as that, and he knows it too. That's why he's avoiding the real #1 contender."

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Before Pimblett's entrance, Topuria discussed his swift victory over Oliveira. "I already said it, I represent the new generation of mixed martial arts," he stated. "This is the next level of the game. This is what I represent. I did exactly what we had planned. Boom, his lights were out."

He then turned his focus to Pimblett, saying, "We have some unsavoury characters in this arena. There's a blonde woman and someone whose back hurts when it's time to deliver. Whoever is ready for me, I'm here. Listen, I don't think Paddy will accept it. But if he believes he's ready... bring that blonde woman here."

Pimblett and Topuria's rivalry began three years ago when Pimblett made provocative comments about Topuria's homeland, Georgia, before throwing a hand sanitiser bottle at his fellow fighter.