Arman Tsarukyan mocks Khamzat Chimaev's Swedish wrestling credentials

Arman Tsarukyan took a shot at Khamzat Chimaev on social media, mocking the middleweight contender's wrestling pedigree in Sweden and setting off a brief but pointed back-and-forth between the two fighters.

Tsarukyan, the number-one ranked lightweight at 29 years old, referenced Chimaev's status as a four-time Swedish wrestling champion in a dismissive tone, implying the accomplishment carries little weight. Chimaev fired back, telling Tsarukyan to back off and pointing out that the Armenian-Russian fighter was never a wrestling champion himself. The Russian-born Tsarukyan, who fights out of American Top Team, carries a 23-3 record and is one of the most active grapplers at 155 pounds, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking output of 3.85 significant strikes per minute.

Chimaev, nicknamed "Borz," holds a 15-1 record and is currently ranked number one in the middleweight division and tenth in the pound-for-pound standings. The 32-year-old, who represents the United Arab Emirates and trains at Allstars Training Center in Sweden, is one of the more dominant wrestlers in the UFC, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing significant strikes at a 60 percent accuracy rate. His wrestling background in Sweden has long been cited as a cornerstone of his game.

Why it matters

• Tsarukyan's jab at Chimaev's credentials carries some edge given both fighters rank near the top of their respective divisions
• The exchange highlights the crossover trash talk that sometimes emerges between fighters in different weight classes
• Chimaev has discussed moving between middleweight and welterweight, meaning a future catchweight or divisional shift could bring these two closer together as potential opponents