It seems as though fans should not be expecting UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria to fight for a second time in 2025.
Topuria is the latest addition to the club of two-division champions on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, having followed title glory at featherweight with a quick crowning at 155 pounds.
This past June, Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 to claim the lightweight throne. Ever since, the sweepstakes for the first shot at unseating him have dominated discussion in the division.
All the while, though, Topuria has been enjoying life and its pleasures away from the cage — and it seems that will be continuing for the immediate future.
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Arman Tsarukyan expects a title eliminator with Ilia Topuria not returning in 2025
When it comes to the meritocratic choice, there is little doubt that Arman Tsarukyan is the most deserving. But his late withdrawal from UFC 311 this past January appears to have opened the door for Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett to rival him.
Pimblett boosted his chances with a Topuria face-off at UFC 317, but talk of him getting an opportunity from No. 9 in the rankings has caused a stir among some fans and fighters. Many want ‘The Baddy’ to earn the shot against a top-five contender first, and judging by Tsarukyan’s recent remarks, that may come to fruition.
While in Chicago to corner Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319, the Russian-Armenian lightweight claimed Topuria won’t be making his first defense until either January or February 2026. With that in mind, the UFC is eying up a fight between Tsarukyan and another contender in the title mix before the end of this year.
“(Topuria) wants to come back in January or February,” Tsarukyan told Adam Zubayraev. “And I haven’t fought in a long time.
“So I think I’ll need to fight in October or November. And I talked to the boss yesterday. They said maybe they will set up a fight with someone.
“In Abu Dhabi or in Qatar…maybe Gaethje, maybe (Dan) Hooker, maybe Paddy,” Tsarukyan added, pointing to the Scouser as his preferred opponent.
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Arman Tsarukyan continues to trade shots with Paddy Pimblett
Should the UFC choose to ignore Gaethje’s retirement ultimatum, there is certainly already enough history to make a title eliminator between Tsarukyan and Pimblett extremely heated.
The pair have gone back and forth throughout much of 2025, with Tsarukyan firing the most recent shot at Pimblett after seeing the Scouser’s latest title shot plea to Dana White and the UFC.
“You’re a nobody, a trashcan at most,” Tsarukyan wrote in a post on X.
“Daddy Dana fed you a couple of senior citizens to build up your hype. That’s all you are, hype. I earned everything in my career, nothing was handed to me you bum.
“Now sit your goofy a– down and wait until Daddy tells you what to do,” he added.