Arman Tsarukyan made headlines with a crude comment about Ilia Topuria, declaring the featherweight champion is "not a man" because "he shaves his butt, and I don't." The bizarre statement appears to be part of ongoing verbal sparring between the two fighters. Tsarukyan, who competes at lightweight, has been mentioned as a potential opponent for Topuria should the Georgian champion move up in weight. The comment reflects the increasingly personal nature of trash talk in modern MMA, though the specific context or provocation for this particular remark was not detailed in the post.
Arman Tsarukyan injected a fresh dose of absurdity into his ongoing rivalry with Ilia Topuria this week, publicly declaring the featherweight champion is "not a man" — because, in Tsarukyan's words, "he shaves his butt, and I don't."
Tsarukyan, 29, holds the number-one ranking at lightweight and carries a record of 23 wins and 3 losses. The Armenian-born Russian fighter, who trains out of American Top Team, stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach and has built his reputation as one of the division's most relentless wrestlers, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes. He is widely regarded as one of the top contenders in the sport, sitting first in the lightweight rankings and among the most dangerous fighters in the 155-pound division.
Topuria, who currently holds the number-one pound-for-pound ranking and sits second in the lightweight standings, is the reigning champion in his division at just 29 years old. The Spain-based Georgian fighter, who competes out of Climent Club, holds a 17-1 record and has shown a well-rounded skillset, landing significant strikes at a rate of 4.81 per minute while also averaging nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes. His reach measures 69 inches, three inches shorter than Tsarukyan's.
The crude comment appears to be the latest exchange in an ongoing verbal back-and-forth between the two fighters. Topuria has been linked to a potential move up to lightweight, which would put him directly in Tsarukyan's territory and make a matchup between the two a realistic possibility.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked lightweight contender, and Topuria is the top pound-for-pound fighter, making any future clash a marquee event
- A move to lightweight by Topuria would set up one of the most anticipated matchups in the division
- Both fighters share identical height and orthodox stances, making the stylistic contrast — Tsarukyan's wrestling volume against Topuria's striking output — particularly compelling on paper
