Arman Tsarukyan posted on social media calling Ilia Topuria "not a man" with an unusual justification. According to Tsarukyan's post, his reasoning is that Topuria shaves his backside while Tsarukyan does not. The comment appears to be part of ongoing back-and-forth between the fighters on social media. The nature of the remark suggests it may be intended humorously or as trash talk. No context for a potential matchup between the two fighters is provided in this post.
Arman Tsarukyan took an eyebrow-raising swipe at Ilia Topuria on social media on April 23, claiming the former featherweight champion is "not a man" — with his reasoning being that Topuria shaves his backside while Tsarukyan does not. The comment appears to be the latest exchange in an ongoing back-and-forth between the two lightweight contenders, and the unusual framing suggests it was intended as trash talk or humor rather than a serious accusation.
Tsarukyan, known as "Ahalkalakets," enters this social media spat as the number-one-ranked lightweight in the UFC. The 29-year-old Russian trains out of American Top Team and carries a 23-3 record. He is a persistent threat on the mat, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes, and lands significant strikes at a rate of 3.85 per minute with 50 percent accuracy.
Topuria, nicknamed "El Matador," holds the number-two ranking in the lightweight division and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings at number one. The 29-year-old Spanish fighter owns a 17-1 record and trains out of Climent Club. He is an aggressive finisher who lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute and has averaged 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes throughout his career, complementing his striking with a well-rounded ground game.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan and Topuria are the top two lightweights in the UFC, making any interaction between them relevant to the division's title picture.
- The ongoing social media exchanges keep a potential future matchup simmering in the public eye.
- Both fighters are orthodox and share identical height at five-foot-seven, though Tsarukyan holds a three-inch reach advantage at 72 inches compared to Topuria's 69.
