Ilia Topuria’s public feud with Arman Tsarukyan may not have materialized inside the Octagon, but it has rapidly taken over social media. The reigning lightweight champion recently took aim at Tsarukyan, calling him dumb for trying to win favor with the UFC by building a stronger fanbase through influencer collaborations and showcasing his lifestyle.
This is because Tsarukyan’s recent run has been clouded by controversy. He drew headlines for headbutting Dan Hooker during a pre-fight faceoff at UFC Qatar, and for an altercation with Georgio Poullas following their bout at RAF 6. The incidents have continued to pile up, with Tsarukyan most recently being removed from an American Airlines flight and later attracting attention again after tackling Urijah Faber during a grappling appearance at RAF 8.
Meanwhile, Topuria has set his sights on a much bigger statement: submitting reigning champion 170lbs kingpin Islam Makhachev, the same fighter Tsarukyan was initially scheduled to face for the lightweight title at UFC 311 but withdrew due to weight complications and a back injury.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani in a recent interview, Topuria had made his intentions clear. He said, “When I get the opportunity to fight with someone, I always used to think about what can I do to really shock the world. So with Islam, I’m like, to shock the world, I have to submit him. So, this is what I think that’s gonna happen. I’m gonna take him down, and I’m gonna submit him.”
That bold prediction didn’t sit well with Tsarukyan. Having already gone three rounds with Makhachev in his UFC debut, the Armenian contender dismissed Topuria’s chances entirely. Also appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, Tsarukyan fired back by saying, “If he is going to move up, it’s okay. He is going to move up, Islam is gonna kick his ass, and he’s gonna come down and I’m gonna kick his ass. Then UFC will just release him.”
He doubled down on his stance, adding: “Zero (chance Topuria beats Makhachev). Submit Islam? Yeah, to knock out Islam he has more chance than to submit Islam. I think not even Khabib Nurmagomedov could submit Islam.”
For context, Makhachev has only suffered one loss in his professional career, which was a first-round knockout defeat to Adriano Martins at UFC 192 in 2015. Since then, he has evolved into one of the most dominant forces in MMA, capturing titles across two divisions and defeating elite names such as Alexander Volkanovski, Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, and Jack Della Maddalena.
Notably, both Oliveira and Poirier were submitted by the Dagestani in title fights. Topuria, who began his MMA journey as a grappler, has eight submission wins on his professional record, though only one has come inside the UFC, an arm-triangle choke victory over Bryce Mitchell at UFC 282.
Looking ahead, Topuria is set to unify the lightweight title against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250. Tsarukyan, meanwhile, last competed in November 2025, submitting Hooker at UFC Qatar, and is still awaiting his next assignment inside the Octagon.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.