Ilia Topuria didn’t hold back after UFC Qatar, unloading on Arman Tsarukyan for his callout. Tsarukyan made it clear that he wants a lightweight title shot. He is also willing to make a quick turnaround for that chance. However, Topuria rejected the callout, insisting that he does not deserve a title shot.
Tsarukyan earned a dominant 2nd round submission over Dan Hooker in the UFC Qatar main event. He then shifted focus to Topuria without hesitation.
Tsarukyan mentioned the lightweight champion’s past comments about leaving his title if he received a title shot. The No. 1 ranked UFC lightweight pushed him to keep follow through with that promise.
Tsarukyan also insisted that Topuria wants a more favorable matchup against the likes of Paddy Pimblett.
Those remarks didn’t sit well with Topuria, who took aim at him on social media. He posted a video of an interaction between them, along with a fiery response.
“Arman, every time we see each other in person you freeze up like a scared duck with no idea what to do. You know I handle you however I want. I fight whoever the UFC chooses,” Topuria wrote on X. “Remember, I slapped you and you just laughed, then you go around acting like a gangster. So keep going, you’re on the right path. Just a few levels below me, kid.”
Arman Tsarukyan Fires Back at Ilia Topuria After Latest Remarks
Arman Tsarukyan fired back at Ilia Topuria soon after the lightweight champion’s remarks. He accused ‘El Matador’ of spreading misinformation about their interaction.
Tsarukyan reaffirmed that he rather settle their differences inside the octagon instead of social media. ‘Ahalkalakets’ then said Topuria feels very insecure and searches for excuses to avoid fighting him.
“Bro, you touched my neck like we were taking a family photo and now you’re calling it a slap online? The clip is clear, your insecurity’s even clearer,” Tsarukyan wrote on X. “I don’t need to act tough for Twitter, my work is inside the cage. If you want to know what a real slap feels like, I’ll be happy to educate you. See you soon, El Pato [duck emoji].”
Tsarukyan Confident He Would Easily Defeat Topuria
Tsarukyan solidified his place in the lightweight division with his submission win over Hooker at UFC Qatar. After that, he expressed strong confidence that he would dominate Topuria as well.
During his post-fight press conference, Tsarukyan weighed in and shared his thoughts on what would unfold if he faced Topuria. The Armenian believes he is a horrible matchup for the lightweight champion.
“In my mind, I can strike with [Topuria] in the long distance but when he wants to try to box me and throw his hard punch, I’m going to shoot and take him down,” Tsarukyan said. “I believe in myself and I know I can beat him so easy as well.”
The No. 1 ranked lightweight stressed that his rivalry with Topuria remains strictly professional. He said the tension comes from ‘El Matador’ holding the title he wants.
“To be honest, we have nothing personal between us. This is all media, this is all hype. Obviously, we’re trying to hype up the fight but specifically personal, we don’t have anything.”
‘Scared Duck’: Ilia Topuria Blasts Arman Tsarukyan After UFC Qatar Callout