Arman Tsarukyan: “If Paddy wins, my title chances drop”
UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan has made it clear: if Paddy Pimblett wins the interim title, it could significantly hurt his own chances of fighting for gold. In a candid interview with Ariel Helwani, Tsarukyan explains why he believes UFC is protecting Pimblett — and why he thinks he’s being deliberately left out of the title picture.
UFC’s title decision raises eyebrows
Arman Tsarukyan is currently ranked number one in the UFC lightweight division. Yet, despite his dominant win over Dan Hooker and his availability, Tsarukyan was passed over when Ilia Topuria withdrew from his scheduled title bout.
Instead, UFC booked an interim title fight between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje for UFC 324 on January 24, 2026 (CET), in Las Vegas.
“I know I’m the best there. I was supposed to be there — not him.”
Speaking with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Tsarukyan voiced his frustration about being snubbed. According to him, it’s not about merit — it’s about marketability.
“UFC wants Paddy to be champion”
Throughout the interview, Tsarukyan argued that the UFC is trying to turn Pimblett into a star by giving him favorable matchups.
“My opinion is they want Paddy Pimblett to be a champion.”
He suggested that a fight between him and Pimblett would jeopardize that plan — because UFC knows the likely outcome.
“UFC likes him, and they’re not going to put him against me — because everybody knows he’s going to lose.”
Tsarukyan believes the promotion is hesitant to pair him with Pimblett precisely because of the risk it carries. A loss for Pimblett would halt his rise and hurt UFC’s business model.
What if Paddy wins the interim title?
Ariel Helwani brought up a scenario: if Pimblett beats Gaethje and Topuria returns during the summer, Arman might have to wait until late 2026 — or even 2027 — for a title opportunity.
Tsarukyan acknowledged the possibility and didn’t hide his frustration.
“I’m not that young anymore. I want to be champion as soon as possible.”
He added that if UFC offered him the BMF title against someone like Max Holloway or Charles Oliveira, he’d accept — but emphasized that his ultimate goal is the undisputed belt.
“I want the real title.”
Past actions used against him?
When asked why he wasn’t selected for the interim title bout, Tsarukyan pointed to UFC’s possible concerns over his past controversies — such as pulling out of a previous fight, a headbutt incident with Dan Hooker, and a post-fight interaction with a fan.
“They say I pulled out, headbutted Hooker, punched a fan… but I didn’t punch him — I just scared him.”
While Tsarukyan admits he regrets some actions, he insists he was ready and should have been the one fighting for the belt.
“I was ready. It was two months after my fight. I was 100% ready.”
What’s next for Arman Tsarukyan?
Tsarukyan made it clear that he won’t sit and wait forever. If Topuria defends once a year and Pimblett becomes interim champ, it could significantly delay his path to the top.
“I don’t want to wait until next year. I’ll take any big fight now.”
He floated the idea of facing Holloway or Oliveira — especially if either wins the BMF belt. But Tsarukyan also warned that Pimblett getting the interim title may completely block his title path, as UFC would avoid booking that matchup.
