Arman Tsarukyan is still going right at Ilia Topuria, and this latest round of trash talk was not exactly subtle.
After Topuria called him dumb and brushed him off as a non-threat, Tsarukyan fired back by accusing the UFC lightweight champion of ducking a real test. He told Ariel Helwani that the disrespect does not even make sense to him, especially because Topuria has talked up Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, and Max Holloway but keeps changing tone when Tsarukyan’s name comes up. Earlier this week, Topuria ripped Tsarukyan as a “little weasel” and said he was not on his level.
Tsarukyan’s answer was direct. He said:
“You know why [he’s talking about me]? He’s jealous. He wants to say I’m nothing and that if the UFC offers the fight, he won’t take it. He wants to tell everyone in this world that I’m not on his level.” He also took issue with the fact that Topuria never really explained the insult itself, adding, “In my culture, if you say something about someone, you explain why. He couldn’t explain why I’m ‘dumb.’”
That is where the actual fight angle gets interesting. Tsarukyan’s last UFC fight was his submission win over Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar in November 2025, a result that kept him planted near the very top of the lightweight line after earlier wins over Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush, and Joaquim Silva. Topuria’s last fight was much more recent and much louder. He knocked out Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October 2024 before his move into the lightweight title picture, where he later beat Oliveira for UFC gold. So this is not some random contender barking from the cheap seats. It is a top lightweight with a real résumé trying to force the champ to say his name.
Arman Tsarukyan says Ilia Topuria should stop talking and sign the fight
Tsarukyan pushed the challenge even harder when he got into the stylistic side of it.
“We’ll see when the fight happens,” he said. “We’ll see how I won’t take him down. I can take down anybody.”
That tracks with how he has always sold himself. Tsarukyan made his UFC debut against Islam Makhachev back in 2019 and gained respect immediately despite losing, and since then he has built his run around strong wrestling, pressure, and a much sharper overall game. He has also been making noise in freestyle wrestling while waiting on his next UFC booking.
Then he went straight for the ducking accusation.
“Just accept the fight,” Tsarukyan said. “Why are you ducking if you’re super confident that you can beat me in the first round. Sign the contract after this fight and don’t move up.”
Topuria is already tied to bigger-picture lightweight chatter, including the same White House event noise and all the talk about whether money and matchmaking are steering him away from certain fights.
And yes, Tsarukyan also went full playground mode before wrapping up. He mocked Topuria’s grooming habits and took a bizarre swing at his Miami ties, which turned the whole thing from regular fight promotion into something pettier and weirder. He said:
“I’m the man, but he’s not — he shaves his ass. He shaves his arms and legs. At least I’m a man. I don’t do that.” Then he doubled down with, “He has no hair on his legs. You think he’s going to have a hair on his ass?”
That part is ridiculous, but the central point is still clear. Tsarukyan wants the matchup, thinks he has the wrestling to make Topuria miserable, and is trying to corner the champion into either accepting the fight or looking like he is swerving it.
