Upon entering the cage, Pimblett squared off with the new champ, reciting his lines about Scousers not being knocked out. Topuria reeled off some McGregor lines before giving him a light push; it was very WWE, but White explained that it was never meant to happen.

Michael Bisping has explained what should come next for Ilia Topuria after his UFC 317 title crowning. Topuria achieved his two-division ambitions in his return to lightweight at last Saturday’s International Fight Week pay-per-view in Las Vegas.

Minutes after his main event win, Ilia Topuria squared off with and shoved rival Paddy Pimblett in an impromptu faceoff inside the cage at T-Mobile Arena. White said the photo op