Ilia Topuria Snubbing Arman Tsarukyan Dubbed as ‘Cowardly’: “Already Looking for a way Out”

Arman Tsarukyan comes up with a scathing response to Ilia Topuria's refusal to entertain him as the #1 contender for his 155lbs belt.

Ilia Topuria Snubbing Arman Tsarukyan Dubbed as ‘Cowardly’: “Already Looking for a way Out”

Ilia Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan (via Imagn)

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At UFC 317 last month, Ilia Topuria made history by becoming the first undefeated double champion in UFC history. He did it in emphatic fashion, knocking out Charles Oliveira in under five minutes. Since that dominant showing, there’s been plenty of speculation about who the Spaniard might face next.

During his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Topuria hinted at a possible showdown with Paddy Pimblett, a matchup that carries some heat from their shared history dating back to 2022. But while fans and the UFC seem intrigued by the potential Pimblett fight, one man has been in the conversation all along: Arman Tsarukyan.

For the unversed, the Armenian was the #1 contender and initially set to challenge Islam Makhachev at UFC 311. However, a back injury caused him to miss weight, costing him his title opportunity. Determined to make things right, Tsarukyan weighed in as the backup fighter for UFC 317 and has since been vocal about deserving his shot at the belt.

Despite that, Topuria appears uninterested in giving him a chance. In a recent interview with the Nelk Boys, the newly crowned champ made his stance crystal clear.

Listen, when you put so much effort in the game and you have a guy in front who you don’t know that maybe he could pull out from the fight. That’s not something good for us. They are gonna give him a fight before the title shot… I’m the world champion. I’m never gonna give him a chance… If that’s the case, take my belt.

Ilia Topuria via The Nelk Boys YouTube channel

Instead, Topuria believes the UFC will push for other high-profile opponents like Pimblett, or even Justin Gaethje, for his first title defense. Naturally, Tsarukyan didn’t take kindly to those comments. The 28-year-old fired back on X, replying to a post by Red Corner MMA with a fiery message.

Imagine calling yourself a champion, but you’re already looking for a way out. You can vacate it, or I’ll take it. Either way, it’s mine.

Arman Tsarukyan via X

Tsarukyan’s frustration is understandable. He last fought at UFC 300, where he edged out a tough three-round battle against Oliveira. Unfortunately, his back issues earlier this year forced him to withdraw from his title shot. It led the UFC to book Makhachev against Renato Moicano instead, a bout that ended up being a one-sided affair.

Even Dana White wasn’t pleased with Tsarukyan’s withdrawal. After UFC 317, White emphasized that Tsarukyan would need to work his way back up the rankings to earn another shot at the gold, despite making weight as the backup. To add to the intrigue, the MMA world has recently turned its attention to Max Holloway as a possible opponent for Topuria.

The two share history at featherweight, and Holloway’s incredible knockout win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 has only fueled calls for that matchup. Currently, the Armenian is helping Khamzat Chimaev in his camp for his middleweight title challenge next month at UFC 319. 

In the end, while Tsarukyan may have done everything in his power to stay in the mix, Topuria seems to be focused on other fights, and for now, that doesn’t include Arman Tsarukyan.

Ilia Topuria showcases his knockout power against the Nelk Boys in comical training session

Meanwhile, Ilia Topuria recently joined the Nelk Boys and showcased his one-punch power to the social media influencers. Imagine getting the chance to spar with a UFC champion. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, for the Nelk Boys, it turned into a nightmare.

Fresh off making history as a two-division UFC champion, Topuria welcomed the YouTube pranksters to his gym in Spain. Despite one of the most controversial weeks in their group’s history, the Nelk Boys—Steiny, Kyle Forgeard, and Salim— suited up to go a few rounds with ‘El Matador.’

Ilia Topuria at UFC 298
Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 (via Imagn)

First up was Aaron “Steiny” Steinberg, who might’ve instantly regretted volunteering. After barely absorbing a light punch, Steinberg shelled up, only to be folded by a clean body shot. He got up, tried to hang in there, but was repeatedly dropped. One rampant shot to the face left him bloodied and forced the session to stop.

Next was Forgeard. His strategy was high guard, but Topuria was unbothered. The champ went straight through his defense and dropped him in seconds. He got back up, only to eat a couple of brutal body shots before tagging out. Then came Salim, who at least came in with a different approach. He went for a desperate takedown attempt, but it didn’t work.

He ended up on the ground anyway, just not the way he planned. Once they stood back up, Topuria delivered a devastating body shot that had Salim rethinking all his life choices. To make things even funnier, Salim joked earlier that his favorite fighter was Ilia Topuria’s rival, Islam Makhachev, which was certainly not the smartest choice.

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