Arman Tsarukyan, a distinguished former contender for the UFC lightweight championship, has made a compelling and confident assertion: he believes he stands as the sole fighter within the division truly capable of overcoming the reigning undisputed champion, Ilia Topuria.
In his candid statement, Tsarukyan explicitly dismissed the capabilities of other potential challengers, particularly mentioning Paddy Pimblett. “Paddy will never be able to defeat Ilia,” Tsarukyan declared. He then powerfully underscored his unique position in the weight class, stating, “For now, I am the only one who can beat Topuria in our division… And everyone knows this. Even the UFC knows it, so they are trying to promote him as much as possible.”
This audacious claim highlights Tsarukyan`s conviction that he represents Topuria`s most formidable threat. His comments further suggest an underlying belief that the UFC`s vigorous promotion of the current champion is, in part, a strategic move to maximize Topuria`s marketability ahead of what Tsarukyan perceives as an inevitable and decisive confrontation between the two top lightweights.
