UFC’s rising superstar Paddy Pimblett made a thunderous statement in the lightweight division with a dominant third-round TKO win over Michael Chandler at UFC 314 in April. After the victory, he dropped a stacked list of callouts that mapped out his road to a world title, featuring names like Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira (his top pick), and Arman Tsarukyan. However, one of those matchups doesn’t seem to excite the Liverpudlian all that much.
‘The Baddy’ recently spoke with BBC Sport and shared that a title fight against Ilia Topuria would be an ideal next step—if the Georgian-Spaniard manages to get past Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 on June 28. However, since ‘El Matador’ is already booked, Paddy has shifted his focus to Justin Gaethje. That said, he didn’t miss the chance to take a jab at Tsarukyan, stating, “No one (cares) about Arman Tsarukyan, and people actually want to watch Gaethje fight.”
‘Ahalkalakets’ wasn’t having any of it. Arman Tsarukyan fired back on X after hearing Pimblett’s dismissive comment, unleashing a fiery response: “It was obvious you were talking trash with zero intention of backing it up. Your UFC career is built on handouts, hype, and shortcuts to the top.” Tsarukyan essentially accused the Liverpudlian of being Dana White’s golden boy, getting handpicked matchups throughout his career.
This post has again generated a feud between two elite contenders. Paddy Pimblett also didn’t hesitate to reply to Arman’s comments on X, “Rich boy talking about handouts you’ve been handed everything on a silver platter ur whole life by daddy u never said I wudnt fight you its just nobody cares about you after pulling out against Islam because of a “back injury” we all know u was menstruating really u sausage.”
Rich boy talking about handoutsyou’ve been handed everything on a silver platter ur whole life by daddy u never said I wudnt fight you its just nobody cares about you after pulling out against Islam because of a “back injury” we all know u was menstruating really u sausage https://t.co/y8l908wTur
— Paddy Pimblett (@PaddyTheBaddy) May 31, 2025
Paddy Pimblett didn’t hold back in firing back at Arman Tsarukyan. He shrugged off the “Dana White Privilege” jab, claiming Arman came from wealth and never truly struggled before joining the UFC. To twist the knife further, Paddy brought up Tsarukyan’s late withdrawal from UFC 311 against Islam Makhachev due to a back injury, opening the door for Renato Moicano to step in. With Dana White reportedly denying Arman an immediate title shot, Paddy feels Tsarukyan’s stock has dropped.
Instead, ‘The Baddy’ believes a fan-favorite clash with Justin Gaethje makes way more sense—something he sees as a truly legendary bout. But while Paddy, Arman Tsarukyan, and the rest of the lightweight contenders have been caught up in a heated back-and-forth over who deserves the next shot, another name has quietly made his intentions loud and clear. So, let’s see what that’s all about.
L’udovit Klein plans to fight Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria after facing Mateusz Gamrot at UFC Vegas 107
Ľudovít Klein might just have the opportunity of a lifetime at the UFC Vegas 107 co-main event. Though currently unranked, he’s potentially staring down a massive leap if he lands a fight against #7-ranked Mateusz Gamrot. Klein has already delivered some impressive performances, but he believes that if he makes a statement in this one, a high-profile showdown with either Paddy Pimblett or Ilia Topuria could be next on his radar.
Speaking to E. Spencer Kyte for UFC.com, ‘Mr. Highlight’ said, “There are a lot of good names for me. When I beat Mateusz Gamrot, I think I will be one or two fights away from going for the belt. I want to fight with Paddy Pimblett; I’ve wanted that for a long time…but the name I’m looking for is Ilia Topuria”
Now, that’s a bold dream for the Slovak standout. Sure, if he pulls off a win over someone like Gamrot, doors will open—no doubt. He could end up facing names like Renato Moicano, Rafael Fiziev, or maybe even Dan Hooker. But honestly, getting someone like Paddy Pimblett or cracking into the top five? That’s a tougher sell. Everyone’s chasing bigger names and looking up the rankings.
It was assumed that Islam Makhachev vacating the lightweight belt and moving up would halt the excitement in the lightweight division. But, it remained exciting with some intriguing match-ups. That said, which fight do you want to see? Fancy a grudge match between Paddy and Arman? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.
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