UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria isn’t mincing words about No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan and he’s blaming Tsarukyan, not the UFC, for being left out of the interim-title fight at UFC 324.
Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) is temporarily stepping away to address personal and legal issues involving his ex-wife. In his absence, the UFC opted to book Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight belt on Jan. 24, with the winner expected to face Topuria upon his return.
That decision shocked many considering Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) is the division’s top-ranked contender and riding the best momentum of his career. But Topuria says the UFC’s choice was deliberate and a direct consequence of Tsarukyan’s own behavior.
Topuria: “It’s hard to trust someone who gambles away big opportunities”
Speaking to El Doberdan MMA, Topuria unloaded on Tsarukyan in a scathing assessment of why the UFC chose not to include him in the interim title picture.
“Arman is a good fighter,” Topuria said in Spanish, via Championship Rounds. “He’s had his opportunities and he refused to compete. He had his chance to fight for the title and he pulled out. All of us fighters deal with pain back, arm, leg and yet we show up to fight. For some reason, he didn’t.”
Topuria referenced Tsarukyan withdrawing from a title fight with Islam Makhachev the day before UFC 311, suggesting fear played a role.
“Maybe he had to change his underwear after making that decision,” Topuria added. “When you’re heavily promoted, when a company invests that much money in you, and you gamble it away, it’s very difficult to trust that person again.”
Topuria then shifted to Tsarukyan’s most recent controversy a head butt during weigh-in faceoffs with Dan Hooker before UFC Fight Night 265.
“That doesn’t show intelligence,” Topuria said. “People are investing money in you, and with one simple head butt, you put all of that at risk. So when you see someone you’re supporting act like that, would you keep supporting them?”
Topuria claims the UFC’s internal response was blunt.
“They sat at a table and said, ‘Fck Arman.’ So Arman, from here… go fck yourself.”
Tsarukyan Fires Back: “You’re a joke, El Panocha”
Just as he did when Paddy Pimblett criticized him earlier this month, Tsarukyan wasted no time hitting back.
“You’re talking about taking time off from fighting to fix your family issues,” Tsarukyan wrote on social media, “but it looks like you have plenty of free time for all these interviews. You’re a joke, El Panocha.”
The feud adds yet another layer to an already chaotic lightweight title landscape.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
