Arman Tsarukyan dismisses Topuria's claim about submitting Islam Makhachev

Arman Tsarukyan has publicly mocked Ilia Topuria's assertion that he could submit Islam Makhachev, going as far as to argue that even the retired and undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov would have been incapable of pulling off such a feat against the current champion.

Tsarukyan's comments add fresh fuel to the ongoing verbal sparring between top contenders and titleholders across the sport's upper divisions. His skepticism centers specifically on whether Topuria possesses the grappling credentials to threaten Makhachev on the ground.

Ilia Topuria, ranked second in the lightweight division and first in the pound-for-pound rankings, carries a 17-1 record and has been one of the most active strikers in the sport, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. The 29-year-old Spaniard does attempt submissions at a rate of 1.1 per 15 minutes, but his takedown output sits at 1.96 per 15 minutes, a figure that highlights a meaningful gap in grappling volume compared to the elite Dagestani wrestlers.

Islam Makhachev, the 34-year-old Russian champion who holds a 28-1 record, has built his dominance on a blend of suffocating grappling and precise striking, connecting at a remarkable 58 percent accuracy while averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Khabib Nurmagomedov, the man whose shadow still looms over the lightweight division, retired undefeated at 29-0 and averaged 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career — numbers that form the bedrock of Tsarukyan's argument.

Why it matters

• Topuria is ranked second at lightweight and has positioned himself as a future challenger to Makhachev's title
• Tsarukyan's public dismissal of Topuria's grappling credentials intensifies the rivalry between top lightweight contenders
• The exchange highlights the central question surrounding any Topuria title bid: whether his submission game can neutralize elite Dagestani wrestling