Oct 22, 2022; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Sean O'Malley (blue gloves) defeats Petr Yan (red gloveS) during UFC 280 at Etihad Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Kidwell-USA TODAY Sports

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“Don’t Want Arman To Be Champion” – Sean O’Malley Believes UFC Afraid To Make Ilia Topuria vs Arman Tsarukyan Title Fight

Oct 22, 2022; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Sean O'Malley (blue gloves) defeats Petr Yan (red gloveS) during UFC 280 at Etihad Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Kidwell-USA TODAY Sports

The accusations of prioritizing fighters and giving them favorable matchups follow every matchmaking decision that seems questionable or protective. Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, and even Alex Pereira are some examples according to critics. But these are just claims and Ilia Topuria seems to be getting on that list.

Former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has now spoken out after UFC Qatar, and he feels that Ilia Topuria might be getting the same treatment. He feels that the UFC is protecting him from tough matchups.

Sean O’Malley Gives His Take On Ilia Topuria vs Arman Tsarukyan

Sean O’Malley shared his thoughts on X after Arman Tsarukyan’s dominant UFC Qatar victory. The former bantamweight champion believes the Armenian won’t get his deserved title shot. Then came his controversial prediction about UFC’s intentions moving forward.

“Arman is no f***ing joke. Arman vs Ilia is an interesting matchup. I don’t think the UFC would make Arman vs Ilia. I think they love Ilia; he’s a great champion, and I don’t think they really want Arman to become champion. He has a f***ing legitimate chance to beat Ilia. I can’t believe I said it. I think Ilia might knock him out, but if anyone has the chance to beat Ilia at 155 lbs, it’s Arman.”

😳🏆 Sean O’Malley believes the UFC will NOT book Tsarukyan vs. Topuria next:

“[The UFC] love Ilia as a champion. [Arman] has a f***ing legitimate chance of beating him. If anyone has a chance of beating Ilia at 155 it’s Arman."😬

🎥 @SugaSeanMMA pic.twitter.com/KINBivIDSa
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) November 23, 2025

That’s a pretty serious accusation aimed at the promotion’s matchmaking philosophy. O’Malley believes organizational preference outweighs competitive merit in this situation.

‘Suga’s’ analysis actually makes a lot of sense when examining the matchup. Tsarukyan’s wrestling and grappling could neutralize Topuria’s striking advantages completely. The Armenian also showed improved striking against Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 and recently against Dan Hooker. His well-rounded skill set creates serious problems for any lightweight currently. Plus, he is ranked the #1 contender for quite some time now.

Does The UFC Actually Protect Champions?

O’Malley’s claim about protection carries some irony considering his own career. Critics accused him of avoiding tough competition until fighting Petr Yan. The UFC allegedly gave him favorable matchups to build his star power. Those same accusations now apply to how they might handle Topuria.

But looking at Topuria’s resume objectively reveals a different story. ‘El Matador’ has faced Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira consecutively. Nobody gets those names if the promotion genuinely wants protection. All three represent legitimate all-time great fighters with dangerous skill sets.

However, the state where these fighters were in their respective careers can be a sticking point. Volkanovski was coming off a KO loss to Islam Makhachev. Charles Oliveira was coming off a decision win over the out of prime Michael Chandler and was ranked below Tsarukyan, who he had lost to in the previous fight. Only Max Holloway was the best fully fit contender.

The UFC might prefer building Topuria’s star power before risking a loss. Tsarukyan doesn’t carry the same marketability as other potential opponents. A loss to him wouldn’t generate the same financial returns. After UFC Qatar, It now remains to be seen if the UFC would give Tsarukyan his title shot or will they go with Paddy Pimblett or Justin Gaethje or someone else entirely.

(Image Credit: Craig Kidwell – Imagn Images)

Arman Tsarukyan

Ilia Topuria

Sean O’Malley

UFC

Zaid Quraishi

mma

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!