Following his big win at UFC 314, Paddy Pimblett is targeting the top names in the lightweight division.
While Pimblett firmly has his sights set on the likes of Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, there is another name that has called out ‘The Baddy’.
Arman Tsarukyan has shown interest in fighting Pimblett with the 28-year-old currently being ranked as the #1 contender at 155 pounds.
Though the fight would certainly be a title eliminator, it doesn’t seem like the Brit is overly interested in the matchup at this stage.
Others have expressed some concerns about Pimblett facing Tsarukyan but a back-and-forth has started to develop between the two men.
Paddy Pimblett hits back at ‘rich boy’ Arman Tsarukyan following ‘handout’ claims
Paddy Pimblett knows that he’s just one win away from a title shot, especially if Ilia Topuria is able to claim the vacant lightweight title in the main event of UFC 317.
‘The Baddy’ recently told BBC Sport that his preference would be to face former interim champion Justin Gaethje when the UFC returns to Abu Dhabi in October.
Arman Tsarukyan responded to these comments by referencing some of the previous criticisms that people have had in regards to Pimblett’s UFC career.
It’s no secret that the top contender at 155 pounds comes from a wealthy family with his father, Nairi Tsarukyan, being a successful businessman.
Pimblett highlighted this side to Tsarukyan when responding to his fellow lightweight contender’s comments on X (formerly Twitter).
The Brit also referenced UFC 311 where Tsarukyan withdrew from his lightweight title rematch with Islam Makhachev due to a back injury the day before the event.
Arman Tsarukyan finds himself in a slightly difficult position right now
As the top contender in the lightweight division, Arman Tsarukyan doesn’t want to fight against opponents that are too far below him in the rankings.
He has already earned a shot at the title but his withdrawal from UFC 311 in January means that he’ll need to get another win in order to recement his status.
That leaves Tsarukyan with very few options, especially if Paddy Pimblett ends up fighting Justin Gaethje.
| UFC Lightweight Ranking | Fighter | Current Fight Booked |
| #1 | Arman Tsarukyan | Not Booked |
| #2 | Charles Oliveira | Ilia Topuria – UFC 317 |
| #3 | Justin Gaethje | Not Booked |
| #4 | Max Holloway | Dustin Poirier – UFC 318 |
| #5 | Dustin Poirier | Max Holloway – UFC 318 |
| #6 | Dan Hooker | Not Booked |
| #7 | Mateusz Gamrot | L’udovit Klein – UFC Vegas 107 |
| #8 | Paddy Pimblett | Not Booked |
| #9 | Beneil Dariush | Renato Moicano – UFC 317 |
| #10 | Renato Moicano | Beneil Dariush – UFC 317 |
Of all the potential directions that he could go in, it would make a lot of sense for Tsarukyan to fight Dan Hooker given the tension between them in the past.
The loser of Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira could be another option for him.