Arman Tsarukyan has taken a jab at Ilia Topuria in a humorous social media exchange. Tsarukyan called Topuria "not a man" based on an unusual criterion: grooming habits. Specifically, Tsarukyan stated that Topuria shaves his backside while he does not. The comment appears to be lighthearted banter rather than serious criticism. This continues the trend of fighters engaging in playful trash talk on social media.
Arman Tsarukyan took a playful shot at Ilia Topuria on social media, mocking the Spanish star over an unlikely subject: personal grooming. Tsarukyan declared that Topuria is "not a man" on the basis that Topuria shaves his backside — something Tsarukyan made clear he does not do. The comment landed more as lighthearted banter than genuine hostility, continuing a broader trend of fighters trading irreverent trash talk online.
Tsarukyan, nicknamed "Ahalkalakets," holds the number-one contender spot in the lightweight division with a record of 23-3-0. The 29-year-old Russian, who trains out of American Top Team, is a relentless pressure fighter who averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands significant strikes at a rate of 3.85 per minute with 50 percent accuracy.
Topuria, meanwhile, sits at number two in the lightweight rankings and holds the pound-for-pound top spot in the UFC. The 29-year-old Spaniard, known as "El Matador," carries a 17-1-0 record and has made a reputation as a finishing threat, averaging 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy while also mixing in nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan and Topuria are the two highest-ranked lightweights not currently holding the belt, making any tension between them relevant to the division's title picture.
- The social media exchange, however joking, keeps both men in the public conversation at 155 pounds.
- Their nearly identical size — both standing five-foot-seven with Tsarukyan holding a three-inch reach advantage at 72 inches versus Topuria's 69 — would make for a closely matched physical contest if a fight were ever made.
