UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan is one of the few who shrugged off Ilia Topuria’s knockout at UFC 317.
Ilia Topuria completed his conquest to become a two-division UFC champion by knocking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. Just minutes into the first round, Topuria caught Oliveira with a right hand that knocked Oliveira out cold before he hit the canvas.
It was a stunning finish to an exciting night at UFC 317. Topuria had a heated faceoff with Paddy Pimblett at T-Mobile Arena after he was asked about his first lightweight title defense.
Another name in the mix to be Topuria’s first title challenger is Arman Tsarukyan, who weighed in as the backup at UFC 317. Tsarukyan was supposed to fight Islam Makhachev earlier this year at UFC 311 before withdrawing on hours’ notice.
Arman Tsarukyan makes bold claims about potential Ilia Topuria matchup
While Tsarukyan might have to earn at least one victory before earning another potential title shot, he’s looking ahead to a showdown with Topuria. After defeating Oliveira at UFC 300 last year, Tsarukyan believes Topuria poses an easier test than the former titleholder.
In a recent interview with Daniel Cormier, Tsarukyan compared matching up with Topuria to his UFC 300 fight with Oliveira.
“I’m going to strike him, kick him. I watched his first fight and he was wrestling a little bit, and he got so tired, and he’s never fought a wrestler like me,” Tsarukyan said of Topuria.
“Bryce Mitchell, he’s the worst fighter at 145, he took him down and held him from a crazy position. And I can tell he’s not high-level, it’s not WWE. I can’t wait to show everybody…
“I’ll send Topuria back to the Top 15 pound-for-pound. For me, it’s easier to fight Topuria than Oliveira. You can go take him down a thousand times, because he’s not going to try to choke you or something.”
Tsarukyan wasn’t happy with Topuria facing off with Pimblett, instead of him, after UFC 317. Demetrious Johnson and others believe Tsarukyan is the most deserving contender to be Topuria’s first lightweight title defense.
Ilia Topuria picked to beat prime Conor McGregor by one of Irish star’s former rivals
After Topuria claimed a second UFC title, comparisons to Conor McGregor have run rampant in recent days. One of McGregor’s former foes picked Topuria to defeat a prime McGregor in a fantasy matchup.
McGregor hasn’t fought since shattering his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. He was supposed to return at UFC 303 last year before withdrawing due to injury.
Topuria called out McGregor after winning the UFC featherweight title at UFC 298 with no success. McGregor remains sidelined, and as of this writing, it’s doubtful that he’ll return to the Octagon anytime soon.