Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan took a jab at featherweight champion Ilia Topuria in a recent comment. Tsarukyan called Topuria 'not a man' based on a peculiar reasoning: that Topuria shaves his buttocks while Tsarukyan does not. The remark appears to be part of ongoing verbal exchanges between fighters from different weight classes. The comment was delivered in a joking manner but adds to the social media banter in the MMA community. No specific fight or deeper conflict between the two was mentioned.
Arman Tsarukyan took aim at Ilia Topuria this week, though not in any way that involves a contract or a matchup. The lightweight contender mocked Topuria with a crude personal jab, claiming the featherweight champion shaves his buttocks — and that this fact alone disqualifies him from being considered a real man. Tsarukyan made clear he does not share that grooming habit.
Tsarukyan, nicknamed "Ahalkalakets," carries a 23-3 record and sits at number one in the lightweight rankings. The 29-year-old Russian trains out of American Top Team and brings a five-foot-seven frame with a 72-inch reach. He averages 3.85 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy, and his wrestling is a central weapon, averaging 3.26 takedown attempts per 15 minutes.
Topuria, known as "El Matador," holds a 17-1 record and currently ranks second in lightweight while sitting at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings. The 29-year-old from Spain represents Climent Club and shares the same height as Tsarukyan at five-foot-seven, though his reach is slightly shorter at 69 inches. He lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute with 48 percent accuracy and has shown well-rounded finishing ability with 1.96 takedown attempts and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Both fighters rank in the top two of lightweight, making any rivalry between them carry real divisional weight
- The remark, while clearly delivered as a joke, adds another layer to the ongoing verbal friction between the two
- No fight between Tsarukyan and Topuria has been announced or formally discussed based on available information
