Arman Tsarukyan calls Ilia Topuria 'not a man' over grooming habits

Arman Tsarukyan has taken his war of words with Ilia Topuria to a peculiar new level, claiming the featherweight champion is "not a man" based on personal grooming habits. Tsarukyan stated that Topuria shaves his buttocks while he himself does not, framing the difference as a measure of masculinity. The comment is the latest salvo in an escalating social media exchange between the two fighters, and follows Tsarukyan's earlier reposting of a fan-made meme targeting Topuria.

Tsarukyan, nicknamed "Ahalkalakets," enters the conversation as the number-one ranked lightweight in the UFC, carrying a record of 23-3-0. The 29-year-old Russian, who trains out of American Top Team, is an active wrestler averaging 3.26 takedowns per fifteen minutes and lands significant strikes at a rate of 3.85 per minute with fifty percent accuracy.

Topuria, meanwhile, has recently moved up to lightweight and sits at number two in the division, while simultaneously holding the number-one pound-for-pound ranking. The Spanish-based Georgian fighter is 17-1-0 and also 29 years old. Known as "El Matador," he generates 4.81 significant strikes per minute and adds a submission threat, averaging 1.1 submission attempts per fifteen minutes.

Why it matters

• Tsarukyan is ranked directly above Topuria at lightweight, making any future matchup between them an immediate title eliminator or title fight conversation.
• The two fighters share identical height at five-foot-seven and orthodox stances, setting up a stylistically intriguing contrast between Tsarukyan's wrestling volume and Topuria's finishing power.
• No official bout between the two has been announced, meaning the current friction remains confined to social media.