Arman Tsarukyan has taken exception to UFC Lightweight Champion Ilia Topuria preferring a fight with Paddy Pimblett.
Tsarukyan believes he has earned No. 1 contender status after submitting Dan Hooker in the main event of their UFC Qatar fight. Tsarukyan has insisted that Topuria is avoiding him. "El Matador" has been beefing with Pimblett for years, but the general consensus is that Tsarukyan is the most deserving contender at 155 pounds.
During an interview with Álvaro Colmenero, Topuria said his sights are set on "The Baddy" (h/t Championship Rounds).
"I have Paddy on my mind," Topuria said. "I'd like to fight Paddy if they don't let me move up to welterweight to fight Islam because the fight I'd really like is against Islam in the third weight class."
Topuria's comments did not sit well with Tsarukyan, who put the lightweight champion on blast in a new post on his X account.
"Could it be any more obvious that el pato is doing everything in his power to avoid fighting me?"
Tsarukyan has gone 10-1 in his last 11 outings. In that stretch, he's beaten the likes of Hooker, Charles Oliveira, and Beneil Dariush. The lone loss in that stretch was a unanimous decision defeat to Mateusz Gamrot back in 2022.
As for Topuria, he is undefeated in his pro MMA career thus far. He starched Charles Oliveira in the first round back in June to capture the UFC Lightweight Championship. He also knocked out Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway during his time as a featherweight, where he also won UFC gold.
Time will tell what the UFC matchmakers decide to do for the next lightweight title fight. Ariel Helwani is hearing that plans for the UFC's debut event on Paramount+ currently don't involve Topuria. BJPenn.com will keep you posted on the UFC lightweight title picture.