Arman Tsarukyan, the UFC’s No. 1-ranked lightweight, has spoken out about what he sees as favoritism toward Paddy Pimblett ahead of UFC 324. “The Baddy” is set to face Justin Gaethje in the Jan. 24 main event for the interim lightweight title, while Tsarukyan remains on the sidelines despite his top contender status.
In a backstage interview after his recent win over Lance Palmer at RAF 5 in Sunrise, Fla., Tsarukyan explained why he thinks Pimblett is being given a championship opportunity over him.
“Everybody knows, Paddy Pimblett, they want to make him a champion because it’s his chance to be a champion,” Tsarukyan said. “They know if they’re going to put me against him, he’s going to lose and the star is going to be gone. Gaethje is easy money for him. He’s old, he has maybe one or two fights left. So that’s why they give him interim title because he’s not going to be a real champion, because there’s Ilia Topuria and I never think he can beat Ilia Topuria.”
Tsarukyan’s Take on Pimblett
The fighter’s comments reflect a clear frustration with UFC matchmaking, which he believes prioritizes building stars rather than honoring the rankings. Tsarukyan has a long-standing rivalry with Pimblett, who previously expressed hope that Tsarukyan might get injured during his RAF matches.
“Yeah, he wants me to get hurt because I’m not going to fight him,” Tsarukyan said. “I’m a nightmare for him and he knows that if we’re going to fight, he’s going to lose. He’s going to try not to fight me his whole life. I hope that Justin Gaethje is going to knock him out and send him back to England and he can eat his—I don’t know what he’s eating there—chicken or whatever.”
Arman Tsarukyan had A LOT to say about Paddy Pimblett after his win at RAF:
“[UFC] wants to make Paddy Pimblett a champion. They know if they put him against me, he’s going to lose. … I’m a nightmare for him, and he knows that.” pic.twitter.com/5OXtdmVwYA
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) January 11, 2026
Ready If Called Upon
While Tsarukyan remains sidelined from UFC 324, he is prepared to step in should Gaethje or Pimblett be unable to compete.
“I’m here,” Tsarukyan said. “I’m in shape. If UFC needs me, I’ll jump in and fight. I hope maybe something happens so I’ll go there, stay there, and even before one day if they say, ‘You’ve got to cut your weight and fight,’ I’ll do that. Because I train every day, I work so hard, and I believe in myself.”
Tsarukyan’s career has had recent setbacks, including a last-minute withdrawal from a UFC 311 title fight due to a back injury and a headbutt incident against Dan Hooker during UFC Qatar. These events may have contributed to his perception that the promotion is hesitant to put him in a championship fight.
“It’s just my guess, I’m seeing from interviews, what my manager says to me, from that I decided because of that, I think,” Tsarukyan said. “In person, I didn’t talk to Dana or [UFC executive] Hunter [Campbell] about that. I’ve got to go to Vegas and talk to them. We’ll see what they say, but it’s probably the headbutt, pull out from the title fight, yeah.”
Even while waiting for a potential UFC return, Tsarukyan has stayed busy competing in grappling tournaments. Most recently, he dominated former four-time NCAA Division I All-American Lance Palmer at RAF 5, winning 10-0 via technical fall. The victory helped him maintain his competitive edge while awaiting another shot at the UFC octagon.
