UFC stardom used to have one clear path: knock people out, talk trash, and sell pay-per-views. Conor McGregor mastered it through sheer chaos and crossover appeal; Khabib Nurmagomedov built it through suffocating dominance and cultural weight. But in 2026, Arman Tsarukyan is being mentioned in the same breath as both, which is pretty shocking.
The 29-year-old Armenian contender from Khabarovsk currently sits at No. 2 in the UFC’s official lightweight rankings, backed by a résumé featuring marquee victories over Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush, and Dan Hooker. Yet, it is what the “rich kid” is doing outside the Octagon that is generating the loudest conversation in MMA today.
Henry Cejudo Drops Wild Arman Tsarukyan Comparison Nobody Saw Coming
On the “Pound 4 Pound” podcast, former UFC champion Henry Cejudo claimed that Arman Tsarukyan is reaching the star power of McGregor and Nurmagomedov. He pointed to Tsarukyan’s public behavior and the momentum created by Ilia Topuria’s recent loss to Justin Gaethje at the White House.
Furthermore, Tsarukyan’s viral $1 million bet on Gaethje and his offer to gift Gaethje a new truck are all the MMA community is talking about right now.
“Arman Tsarukyan has become next to McGregor and Khabib,” Cejudo said on the show. “The way Arman’s been treating everything, and the fact that Ilia got beat up — I think people want to see that next contender coming.”
Henry Cejudo thinks Arman Tsarukyan is next to Conor McGregor and Khabib regarding star power
“Arman Tsarukyan has become next to McGregor and Khabib. The way Arman’s been treating everything and the fact that Ilia got beat up.”
Via @pound4poundshow pic.twitter.com/sgJEgzye3y
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) June 26, 2026
Some fans have mixed reactions to this comparison because McGregor and Nurmagomedov consistently sold out massive arenas and drew millions of pay-per-view buys.
However, the comparison makes sense when you look at Tsarukyan’s activity outside the cage over the past year. Despite missing a title shot due to disciplinary issues, the Armenian star has built a massive audience through wrestling tournaments and influencer collaborations.
For instance, Tsarukyan pocketed $40,000 during his first livestream appearance with Adin Ross, introducing himself to a brand-new demographic of internet fans. He followed that up with a viral party clip where he playfully wrestled and lifted streamer iShowSpeed.
While Khabib relied on absolute dominance and McGregor relied on theatrical spectacle, Tsarukyan is scaling his fame through constant digital content. However, the main problem is that this rich kid has undeniable talent, but he still doesn’t have a UFC title.
The Title Shot Problem and What It Means for Arman Tsarukyan’s Star Power
Back in January, Dana White admitted that the UFC skipped Tsarukyan for an interim title shot because he headbutted Dan Hooker at a weigh-in. Israel Adesanya even called him out on a podcast, telling him to stop hanging out with streamers and focus on training.
So, it’s a fair point. McGregor’s antics were always about hyping an actual fight, and Khabib’s fame came from being undefeated. Tsarukyan’s internet hype won’t mean much long-term without a championship to back it up.
Still, the lightweight division is wide open right now. Topuria just lost, and while Islam Makhachev is amazing, he doesn’t bring much drama. There is a huge opening for a big personality to take over. We just have to wait and see if Tsarukyan can turn his streaming views into actual pay-per-view buys inside the cage.
