Arman Tsarukyan has called Ilia Topuria 'not a man' in a social media exchange, citing an unusual reason for the insult. According to Tsarukyan's statement, the basis for his comment is that Topuria shaves his buttocks while Tsarukyan does not. The remark appears to be part of ongoing verbal sparring between the two fighters. The post is light-hearted in tone but represents continuing tension between the athletes. No fight between the two has been announced, and the comment seems to be purely social media banter.
Arman Tsarukyan has taken his ongoing verbal rivalry with Ilia Topuria to a new level of absurdity, posting a social media jab that questions Topuria's masculinity on the basis of alleged personal grooming habits. Tsarukyan claimed that Topuria shaves his buttocks, while he himself does not, using that distinction as grounds to declare the Georgian-Spanish contender "not a man."
Tsarukyan, 29, fights out of American Top Team and currently sits ranked first in the lightweight division at 23-3-0. The Russian fighter stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach and has built his reputation on a relentless wrestling-forward style, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes with a striking accuracy of 50 percent.
Topuria, also 29, carries a 17-1-0 record and holds the second-ranked spot at lightweight while sitting at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings. Fighting out of Spain under the banner of Climent Club, "El Matador" owns a five-foot-seven frame and a 69-inch reach, and has shown well-rounded finishing ability throughout his career, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- Both men occupy the top two spots in the lightweight division, making any friction between them significant for the title picture.
- The exchange keeps a potential matchup in the public conversation, even though no fight has been officially announced.
- The contrast in styles — Tsarukyan's high-volume wrestling versus Topuria's striking output — would make an eventual bout one of the more compelling lightweight matchups available.
The post carries a playful tone, and there is no indication it signals anything beyond the two rivals needling each other on social media.
