UFC champ Ilia Topuria: Arman Tsarukyan 'much easier' fight than Paddy Pimblett
Out of the top lightweight contenders, many pundits believe Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) is the sternest test to new champion Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC), who insists that's not the case, and sees Paddy Pimblett (22-4 MMA, 7-0 UFC) as a bigger challenge.
Topuria took aim at Tsarukyan for withdrawing from his lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev just one day before UFC 311 due to a back injury.
"Tsarukyan is the easiest (fight) of them all, he's much easier than Paddy," Topuria said in a recent press conference (h/t Championship Rounds). "Much easier. I don't even know what to call him. Imagine having the opportunity to fight for the world title, and when the day comes, you pull out because your back hurts. I can't conceive it, I can't even understand it. I would have fought without an arm, I don't care. ... Clearly, mentally you aren't where you need to be."
Tsarukyan put asterisks on Topuria's recent dominant run, which includes three-straight knockouts over Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and most recently Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. Although Tsarukyan, Justin Gaethje, and Pimblett were all in attendance for Topuria's title-winning performance, it was Pimblett who got to face off with "El Matador."
"He's just had easy fights in his career," Tsarukyan told ESPN MMA of Topuria. "He beat legit fighters, but not in their prime. If he met Volkanovski five years ago, Volkanovski would just eat him, but now Volkanovski is old. His chin is not there anymore."
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