Arman Tsarukyan made a controversial comment about Ilia Topuria, calling him "not a man" with a bizarre justification. According to Tsarukyan, the reason is that "he shaves his butt, and I don't." This unusual statement appears to be part of ongoing verbal sparring between the two fighters, though they compete in different weight classes. The remark was likely intended to provoke or mock Topuria, though the context of the original comment is not fully clear. Such personal jabs are not uncommon in MMA as fighters attempt to generate attention or establish psychological edges. The post uses emojis suggesting humor, indicating the comment may have been made in a joking or half-serious manner.
Arman Tsarukyan has taken a swipe at Ilia Topuria with one of the more unusual insults the lightweight division has seen, publicly declaring the former featherweight champion "not a man" — his stated reason being that Topuria shaves a particular part of his body, while Tsarukyan does not.
The remark appears to be the latest volley in an ongoing verbal rivalry between the two fighters. The context surrounding the original comment is not entirely clear, and the tone, reportedly accompanied by humor, suggests it may have been delivered with at least some degree of jest rather than pure animosity.
Tsarukyan, 29, holds the number-one ranking in the lightweight division and carries a record of 23-3-0 fighting out of American Top Team. The Russian fighter is a well-rounded threat, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing significant strikes at a rate of 3.85 per minute with 50 percent accuracy.
Topuria, also 29 and fighting out of Spain under the Climent Club banner, sits at number two in the lightweight rankings and holds the number-one spot in the pound-for-pound standings. The Georgian-born Spaniard owns a record of 17-1-0 and has demonstrated sharp offensive output, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. He also averages 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Both men are the top two ranked lightweights, making any escalating rivalry between them divisionally significant.
- Tsarukyan and Topuria share the same division, age, height at five-foot-seven, and orthodox stance, setting up an intriguing stylistic parallel.
- Topuria's pound-for-pound ranking makes any public friction with a top contender a storyline the division will watch closely.
