Under the bright lights of the UFC, redemption stories often captivate fans as much as the fights themselves. To watch a fighter rise from adversity, beat all the odds, ask the fans, they love it more than anything in the sport. And that is where the ranked #1 contender of the 155-pound division finds himself. After his fallout with the UFC following his withdrawal from UFC 311, Arman Tsarukyan, on his path of redemption, has just called out the British MMA sensation, Paddy Pimblett.
Tsarukyan’s journey hit a significant hurdle when he withdrew from a scheduled title fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 due to a back injury sustained during the weight cut. The decision drew criticism from Dana White, who stated that Tsarukyan would need to “fight his way back” to title contention. The incident compromised his title contention and his relationship with the UFC.
Following this, Tsarukyan has chosen to begin his way back to the top with the Scouser, Paddy Pimblett. Following his win at UFC 314 against Michael Chandler, Pimblett added fuel to their fire by publicly labeling Arman a “posh boy” with a “silver platter” career and questioning the legitimacy of his injury. And Tsarukyan responded, saying, “Says the guy who got the easiest path to the top in UFC just because he’s got a funny accent and budget Beatles haircut.”
Recently, while talking to Red Corner MMA, Tsarukyan praised Paddy’s win streak and showed genuine interest in fighting him. Arman said, “Paddy, he looked very good in his last fight. And now we can say he can beat top 10 fighters. I don’t know, so he’s number 8 or something, and he’s not gonna fight very soon. Maybe he wants to fight at the end of this year. But I wanna fight this summer and then end of this year.”
He further added, “Yeah, I’ll take that, I’ll take that because he has a big name, he just beat Michael Chandler, and he has a six or seven (fight) and win streak. He never lose in the UFC, it makes sense. To get back and like, to get more fans from UK.” And while for Tsarukyan it’s a fight for redemption, for Pimblett, a victory in this fight could be the most pivotal moment of his career yet.
A win for either fighter at such high stakes can potentially lead to a title shot. And while both fighters are elite to say the least, the Scouser has a significant lead over Tsarukyan to become the next big thing in the UFC. So with that being said, will Paddy Pimblett deserve a title shot if he beats Arman Tsarukyan?
UFC legend and former lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Makhachev’s coach, Javier Mendez, argues that ‘The Baddy’ has already earned a shot at the Lightweight title.
Legendary coach Javier Mendez believes Paddy Pimblett already deserves a title shot
Following Pimblett’s dominant third-round TKO victory over Chandler at UFC 314, Javier Mendez was highly impressed by the Scouser. And why wouldn’t he be? That day, Pimblett had not only shocked Mendez but, in reality, he had shocked the whole world. Almost everyone counted Pimblett out of the fight, but as Paddy says, “Scousers don’t get knocked out.” He went on to prove everyone wrong and even turn a few haters into fans.
Following this massive victory, Mendez expressed his support for ‘The Baddy’ receiving a title shot. On the “Javier & Mo Show” podcast, Mendez stated, “His credentials and his winning record in the UFC speak for themselves… If [UFC] gives him the next title shot, he deserves it.”
He also talked about his earlier dislike for the Scouser and how he came to like him. Mendez revealed, “He’s very interesting. He’s got all of England behind him and a lot of America behind him. He has a lot of fans. I’m a fan. I wasn’t a fan in the beginning when he fought Jared Gordon.” Despite Pimblett’s assertion that he might need one more fight before challenging for the title, Mendez believes the fighter is ready to face any top contender, including Makhachev.
So, after taking this into account, the question arises: Does Pimblett need to fight Tsarukyan? With the push of influential personalities like Mendez himself and the right moment, it’s not unlikely that we see Pimblett compete for the title. He has a huge crowd backing him, he can walk the talk, and he’s good with his words.
So, knowing Paddy Pimblett, we know he won’t back down from this challenge. But with a whole set of opponents to choose from, who will Paddy Pimblett choose to fight next? And will he be able to beat Arman Tsarukyan if they potentially fight next? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
The post After Falling Out of Dana White’s Good Graces, Arman Tsarukyan Eyes Redemption at the Expense of Paddy Pimblett appeared first on EssentiallySports.
