UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria says that he will embarrass rival Arman Tsarukyan if and when they meet inside the Octagon.
Topuria returns to the Octagon next month at UFC Freedom 250 when he battles interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification bout. Just in case anything happens to either Topuria or Gaethje before the fight takes place, the UFC entrusted Tsarukyan to be the official backup fighter for the title fight. But even if Tsarukyan doesn’t end up filling in, he’s still expected to face the winner of Topuria vs. Gaethje later this year for the undisputed title.
If that’s the case, then Topruia says bring it on.
Ilia Topuria Says That He Will ‘Embarrass’ Arman Tsarukyan
Speaking to “DeepCut with VicBlends” in a recent interview ahead of UFC Freedom 250, Topuria was asked about Tsarukyan, and the lightweight champ said he would smoke him if they fought in the Octagon.
“It’s like, I’m gonna embarrass you in front of everyone. Because with him, he thinks that he’s tough, he thinks that like he’s wrestling is I don’t know what. Lke, he feels that he’s an Olympic champion, like he’s the best in the world in wrestling. When it comes to the Octagon, bro, I’m the king. In there, I’m the king. I do with you whatever I want to (expletive) do. And I told him like I’m going to break his job in the first round,” Topuria said (via MMAFighting.com).
“He’s gonna try to take me down since the beginning of the fight and when he’s gonna realize that, bro, it’s not that easy. It’s not that easy to take these legs and take me down, especially to control me on the ground. You crazy? And then he’s gonna start panic. He’s gonna be panicked and then when I break his jaw, bam. In front of all his crowd, all his people, his family, who gives a (expletive). Bam!”
Betting Odds for Ilia Topuria vs. Arman Tsarukyan
Although Topuria still has to get past Gaethje, there are betting odds available for a hypothetical bout between Topuria and Tsarukyan.
According to the latest future betting odds, Topuria is a -190 betting favorite, with Tsarukyan as a +165 betting underdog.
Given that Topuria has never lost in his career, it makes total sense that he is the favorite to beat Tsarukyan. But Tsarukyan is obviously an incredible talent in his own right, and there would be many bettors who would back him to win this fight, especially as a betting underdog.
While it’s not a lock that Topuria beats Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250, he is a massive -600 favorite to do so, so it seems likely he wins that fight. If and when that happens, then it will set up a massive lightweight title bout against Tsarukyan for later this year. It will be one of the most highly anticipated lightweight title bouts between two of the best in the world if and when it happens, and Topuria now just has to take care of business against Gaethje for the fans to get the true fight they want to see.
Ilia Topuria Says He Will ‘Embarrass’ Arman Tsarukyan