Bad blood is continuing to boil.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight champion Ilia Topuria is set to defend his title against interim champion Justin Gaethje in the main event of the upcoming UFC White House card in Washington, D.C.
But another fight is looming in the background.
Many fans — and plenty inside the sport — view a clash between Topuria and No. 2-ranked contender Arman Tsarukyan as the true “best vs. best” matchup at 155 pounds. That bout hasn’t materialized, largely due to
Tsarukyan’s withdrawal from a previous title opportunity and ongoing issues outside the cage that have stalled his momentum.
Still, the door may not be completely shut.
“If they call me tomorrow and tell me Justin is injured, I will fight Arman, no problem,” Topuria said in a recent interview. “I go wherever, whenever. I’m ready for whoever.”
That said, don’t expect any respect between the two.
“I’m really impressed by how dumb he is,” Topuria said. “He’s a retard. He looks like a kid with his mentality. He’s dumb as f—k. Everything I see about him on the internet is embarrassing. F—k Arman. Who cares about him?”
“I don’t like when people play pretend that they’re rich and show all that money,” Topuria added. “It’s like, bro, you’re not even rich. You’re that poor that the only thing you have is money, and you’re spending your father’s money—not even yours. He’s a f—king kid.”
But if the fight does happen, the champion made his intentions clear.
“He’s not on my level. If we cross paths, I’m going to break his jaw in the first round,” Topuria said. “What is he going to do—take me down? Bro, please. Listen to me. Calm down, do your thing — go to those wrestling tournaments, do your streams, and when that moment arrives, just make sure to show up, and I’m going to do the rest. Little weasel.”
Whether it’s frustration over constant callouts or personal dislike, the tension is undeniable.
It’s pretty obvious that Topuria is super annoyed by Tsarukyan. Whether it’s frustration over constant callouts or just a personal dislike, the tension is undeniable.
Maybe it was Tsarukyan taunting Topuria that he’d buy his house.
One thing is for sure — this fight must happen this year and hopefully next.
