Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Arman Tsarukyan (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Charles Oliveira (not pictured) during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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Arman Tsarukyan Continues To Take Jabs At Ilia Topuria, ‘El Matador’ Responds!

Lightweight champion Topuria and #1 contender Arman Tsarukyan continue their rivalry on social media after UFC 317!

The featherweight and lightweight divisions have been buzzing lately, and most of it centers around one man: Ilia Topuria. The Georgian-Spanish fighter has been on an absolute tear through the UFC. He has racked up impressive knockout victories that have put him at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings. His recent performances have been so dominant that many consider him the most exciting fighter in the sport right now. But with great success comes great scrutiny, and not everyone is buying into the Topuria hype train just yet.

Arman Tsarukyan has emerged as one of Topuria’s biggest critics, and he’s not shy about voicing his opinions on social media. The Armenian lightweight contender has been questioning whether the hype matches the reality. Tsarukyan represents that old-school mentality where fighters need to prove themselves against the absolute best before getting their flowers. He’s the type of guy who doesn’t get impressed by flashy knockouts if he thinks the opposition wasn’t at their peak. This brewing tension between the two fighters has created one of the most entertaining back-and-forth exchanges in recent memory.

Arman Tsarukyan Questions The Quality Of Topuria’s Recent Opponents

Tsarukyan recently took to social media to throw some serious shade at Topuria’s recent accomplishments. His main criticism focused on the idea that Topuria has been beating legendary fighters who are no longer at their absolute best. While nobody can deny that Max Holloway was still a dangerous opponent when they fought at UFC 308, Tsarukyan pointed out that Alexander Volkanovski and Charles Oliveira had both suffered recent losses before facing Topuria. This isn’t necessarily a knock on Topuria’s skills, but rather a question about the timing of these victories.

“Fun fact of the day: @Topuriailia never fought anyone in their prime.”

Fun fact of the day: @Topuriailia never fought anyone in their prime
— Arman Tsarukyan UFC (@ArmanUfc) July 4, 2025

The Armenian fighter claimed that Topuria might not be as dominant if he faced these legends when they were at their absolute peak. It’s a harsh criticism that cuts right to the heart of what makes a truly great fighter. Tsarukyan seems to believe that beating great fighters on their way down doesn’t carry the same weight as defeating them when they are still climbing toward the top.

Ilia Topuria Fires Back With His Own Accusations

Topuria wasn’t about to let Tsarukyan’s comments slide without firing back with some pointed criticism of his own. The pound-for-pound king responded by bringing up Tsarukyan’s recent pullout from UFC 311. He was suggesting that the Armenian talks a big game but doesn’t always follow through when it’s time to step into the octagon.

The Georgian-Spanish fighter went even further by claiming that Tsarukyan is simply trying to talk his way into a title shot. Topuria believes that all this social media criticism is just a calculated move to get the UFC’s attention and secure a big-money fight. The new lightweight champion made it clear that he doesn’t think this strategy will work, essentially telling Tsarukyan that talking trash won’t be enough to earn him a shot at the title.

“He is basically telling me to not fight him, since he is not in his prime. He didn’t even show up for his last fight, he thinks talking will get him the opportunity, but he will be in the freezer for a while,” said Topuria via Alvaro Colmenero MMA.

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This response shows that Topuria is willing to engage in the mental warfare that often determines who gets the biggest fights. The back and forth between these two has created genuine animosity that could lead to fireworks if they ever face each other, which is a serious possibility.

(Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images)

Arman Tsarukyan

Ilia Topuria

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!