Arman Tsarukyan called Ilia Topuria "not a man" in a bizarre comment based on personal grooming. According to Tsarukyan, the reason for this statement is that Topuria shaves his buttocks while Tsarukyan does not. The post is presented in a humorous tone with laughing emojis. This appears to be part of ongoing verbal sparring between the fighters rather than serious criticism.
Arman Tsarukyan took aim at Ilia Topuria this week in a social media post that leaned far more toward comedy than combat, questioning Topuria's manhood on the basis of personal grooming choices. Tsarukyan claimed that Topuria shaves his buttocks, while he himself does not, and used that distinction to declare the Georgian-Spanish star "not a man." The post was delivered in a lighthearted tone and appears to be the latest volley in an ongoing back-and-forth between two of the lightweight division's biggest names.
Tsarukyan, nicknamed "Ahalkalakets," carries a 23-3-0 record and sits at number one in the lightweight rankings. The 29-year-old Russian trains out of American Top Team and brings relentless pressure to his fights, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing significant strikes at a 50 percent accuracy rate. He stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach.
Topuria, known as "El Matador," holds a 17-1-0 record and is currently ranked second in the lightweight division. The 29-year-old representing Spain is also the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world according to the AgentMMA rankings. He trains out of Climent Club, shares the same height as Tsarukyan at five-foot-seven, and lands significant strikes at a rate of 4.81 per minute.
Why it matters
- Both fighters occupy the top two spots in the lightweight division, making any interaction between them carry real divisional weight
- The ongoing verbal sparring keeps a potential matchup between the two firmly in the public conversation
- Despite the humorous framing, the rivalry between the number one and number two ranked lightweights continues to simmer
