Ilia Topuria is not losing sleep over Arman Tsarukyan.
Later this year, Topuria is expected to defend his UFC lightweight title against interim champion Justin Gaethje, but it’s not the matchup that many fans want to see. Top contender Arman Tsarukyan was passed over for the interim title shot earlier this year and has been chirping at Topuria since the summer, angling for his shot at the 155-pound title. That is the matchup that many feel would be the biggest test for Topuria, but “El Matador” disagrees.
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“[Arman Tsarukyan is] my toughest challenge? No way,” Topuria said during a live stream with Adin Ross. “I’ve already had my toughest challenges.
“I don’t like to say who he fought, because there’s not an easy fight in the UFC. Everyone is a tough opponent. That’s one of the reasons why they’re fighting in the biggest promotion in the world. But he lost to Islam [Makhachev]. He lost to [Mateusz] Gamrot. He got knocked out in the beginning of his career. And he doesn’t really have the ability to finish the fight. He only finishes the fights when his opponent gets tired, and he just goes on the ground and does the ground and pound and all that.
“But if he faced someone who really has that preparation, has that cardio, he doesn’t get scared if he goes to the ground, he’s going to suffer.”
10-2 in the UFC, Tsarukyan is currently on a five-fight winning streak and was set to rematch Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title in January 2025 before a last-minute injury forced him out of UFC 311. After that, he weighed in as the backup fighter for Topuria’s vacant title bout with Charles Oliveira, and then submitted Dan Hooker in November at UFC Qatar. On top of that, Tsarukyan has been flexing his muscles in other disciplines, collecting grappling accolades while waiting for his title opportunity.
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But Topuria is not impressed.
“Arman, easy. Because he will panic,” Tsarukyan said. “With me, he will panic. What’s he going to do? I always used to say, when I’m in training camp, I know how it feels when you feel pain. I know how it feels when you feel tired. I know how it feels when you feel like you can’t do more, and you keep doing it. I know about myself that there’s not a situation that I’m going to give up.
“So, when I walk inside the octagon, my opponents should know that they’re going to have a badass motherf*cker in front who doesn’t know how to give up. That’s never going to happen. You’re going to have to kill me. And you know what, I love my life, and I’m not ready to die.”
All that being said, Topuria isn’t opposed to fighting Tsarukyan. Ultimately, if that’s the fight the UFC wants, “El Matador” is happy to oblige.
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“You never call the UFC and tell them who you want to fight or where you want to fight,” Topuria said. “So, if they call me and tell me they want me to fight with Arman, no f*cking problem. I fought with so many tough opponents. And you think I don’t want to fight Arman? I don’t care. If they give me that fight, I’m fighting him. No problem.
“Justin, Arman, I don’t care. Both of them, same night.”
