Arman Tsarukyan Accuses Ilia Topuria of Ducking Title Defence in Escalating Feud

The rivalry between newly-crowned lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and top contender Arman Tsarukyan has exploded into a public war of words, with Tsarukyan accusing Topuria of ducking legitimate competition to pursue easier fights. The feud intensifies as Tsarukyan positions himself as the true test for Topuria’s championship credentials following his dominant submission victory over Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar.

Tsarukyan Demands Title Shot

Arman Tsarukyan has launched a relentless campaign calling for his promised title shot, pointing to his impressive second-round submission of Dan Hooker as proof he’s the division’s most deserving contender. The Armenian fighter isn’t mincing his words, directly accusing Topuria of avoiding the toughest challenges in favour of commercially appealing but less dangerous matchups.

“He won a vacant title against Charles Oliveira, but a real champion defends against the best,” Tsarukyan stated in a recent social media post. The criticism strikes at the heart of championship legitimacy, suggesting Topuria hasn’t yet proven himself as a true titleholder without successful defences.

Topuria’s Controversial Next Moves

While Tsarukyan awaits his promised title opportunity, Ilia Topuria has expressed interest in two alternative paths that have fuelled the contender’s accusations. The champion has openly discussed either moving up to challenge welterweight king Islam Makhachev or facing popular star Paddy Pimblett in a big-money fight.

Both options would bypass Tsarukyan, creating frustration for the number one contender who believes he’s earned the right to challenge for the belt. The situation has drawn commentary from UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, who acknowledged that while Pimblett is exciting, the focus should remain on top contenders like Tsarukyan.

Legacy Versus Business

The conflict highlights the ongoing tension in championship matchmaking between sporting merit and business considerations. Tsarukyan represents the pure sporting challenge – an elite wrestler with improving striking who has decisively beaten his recent competition. Meanwhile, Topuria’s potential alternatives offer bigger financial rewards and broader audience appeal.

Tsarukyan isn’t backing down from his position, emphasising that true champions seek out the toughest challenges rather than avoiding them. “If he wants to be great, he should want to fight the best,” Tsarukyan argued, positioning himself as the litmus test for Topuria’s championship calibre.

UFC’s Matchmaking Dilemma

The promotion now faces a difficult decision: honour the competitive integrity of the division by booking Tsarukyan versus Topuria, or capitalise on Topuria’s growing stardom with a more marketable fight. Historically, the UFC has occasionally bypassed top contenders for bigger draws, but doing so with Tsarukyan could create significant backlash given his clear number one contender status.

With both fighters now engaged in a public back-and-forth, the UFC may have little choice but to book the matchup to settle the debate in the octagon. The winner would emerge with undeniable legitimacy as the lightweight division’s true king.

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