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Tsarukyan’s win in Qatar solidified his status as No 1 contender at lightweight, where Topuria – also present in Doha – is reigning champion
Alex PattleCombat Sports EditorMonday 24 November 2025 11:15 GMTComments
ClosePaddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria in hotel bust-up before UFC London
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Arman Tsarukyan and Ilia Topuria’s feud escalated at the weekend, as Tsarukyan solidified his status as No 1 contender before engaging in a war of words with the lightweight champion.
On Saturday, Tsarukyan dominated Dan Hooker and submitted him in the second round of their main-event bout, with Topuria present in Doha’s ABHA Arena.
Topuria was there to help coach his brother Aleksandre, who recorded a bantamweight win over Bekzat Almakhan, and Tsarukyan used the opportunity to talk up a fight with “El Matador”.
Tsarukyan, 29, said at his post-fight press conference: “I didn’t want to mention Ilia because I was focused on my fight, [but] after today, I’m going to try to again create some crazy videos that are going to be viral – and try to make a joke and to bring a lot of eyes for that fight. Because it’s a media sport, too; you’ve got to be a good fighter and a good showman.
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“In my mind, I can strike with him 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. I believe in myself and I know I can beat him so easy as well.
“But 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. Because if we had anything, I’m sure we would take care of it by now.”
However, things escalated on social media thereafter.
open image in galleryNo 1 UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan (USA Today)On X (formerly Twitter), Topuria posted a video of himself and Tsarukyan in a cordial encounter, yet the Georgian-Spaniard attached the caption: “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. And 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.”
It is unclear whether the video was filmed in Qatar or on a previous occasion, but Tsarukyan tweeted in response: “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. 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].”
On Saturday, Tsarukyan was fighting for the first time since April 2024, when he outpointed former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
The Armenian was then due to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight belt in January, but withdrew on one day’s notice while citing a back injury.
Makhachev submitted late replacement Renato Moicano that weekend, before vacating his title in May. Then, in June, Topuria won the vacant lightweight strap by knocking out Oliveira.
open image in galleryIlia Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira in June to become lightweight champion (Getty Images)Topuria’s emphatic win over Oliveira came three months after El Matador, 28, vacated the featherweight title.
Also present in Qatar and trading words with Topuria was his longtime rival Paddy Pimblett.
“Paddy The Baddy”, who was in Doha to support his teammates Luke Riley and Shaqueme Rock, crossed paths with Topuria earlier in the week, with the champion calling the Liverpudlian a “p***y”.
In 2022, Pimblett threw a bottle of hand sanitiser at Topuria at a hotel before UFC London. Topuria was confronting the 30-year-old over tweets that Pimblett had posted, which Topuria alleged were anti-Georgian.
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