Ilia Topuria’s first lightweight title defense has been indefinitely delayed as the champion deals with personal issues outside the Octagon. Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will fight for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324 next month for the right to welcome Topuria back to the cage.
This leaves Arman Tsarukyan as the odd man out in the lightweight title picture despite a huge win over Dan Hooker in his last fight at UFC Qatar. The UFC brass wants Tsarukyan to win another fight or two before he gets another title shot, and Topuria went a step further in recent comments.
Topuria took aim at top lightweight prospect Tsarukyan in a recent interview El Doberdan.
“He had a chance to fight for the title and he backed out,” Topuria said of Tsarukyan.
“Maybe he needed to change his underwear… what he doesn’t understand is that people invest money to promote him. So if you see someone supporting you and he gives you that in return, would you continue to support him?”
“Arman, fend for yourself from here.”
Arman Tarunfigus in the background and Ilia Topuria
In a recent post on XTsarukyan responded to Topuria’s fiery rhetoric.
“You talk about taking time off to fight to solve your family problems, but it seems like you have enough free time for all these interviews,” Tsarukyan said of Topuria.
“You’re a joke El Panocha.”
Tsarukyan was scheduled to fight Islam Makhachev in the UFC 311 main event earlier this year before withdrawing hours beforehand due to a back injury. He returned last month at UFC Qatar and defeated Dan Hooker by submission.
There is bad blood simmering between Topuria and some of the top lightweights, including Tsarukyan. Only time will tell if a fight between Topuria and Tsarukyan comes to fruition.
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