UFC Champion Ilia Topuria Dismisses Arman Tsarukyan as "Easy" Fight and Questions Challenger's Finishing Ability

UFC Lightweight Champ Ilia Topuria slams Arman Tsarukyan’s skills, claiming the contender lacks finishing power and will "panic" in a title fight.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 27, 2026, 5:43 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Fighters Only

Champion Questions Tsarukyan’s Elite Status

In a blunt assessment of the lightweight divisional landscape, Ilia Topuria has made it clear he does not view Arman Tsarukyan as a peer in terms of threat level. Appearing on a stream with Adin Ross, the champion dismissed the notion that the Armenian-Russian fighter would provide his most difficult Octagon challenge to date. Topuria pointed to Tsarukyan’s professional setbacks—specifically his losses to Islam Makhachev and Mateusz Gamrot—as evidence that the challenger has already hit his ceiling when facing top-tier competition. For "El Matador," these prior defeats serve as a roadmap of the challenger's vulnerabilities.

Critique of Grappling and Finishing Instincts

Topuria’s criticism extended beyond the win-loss column, focusing heavily on Tsarukyan’s fighting style. The champion argued that Tsarukyan relies on opponents becoming fatigued before he can effectively utilize his ground-and-pound. According to Topuria, against a fighter with elite cardio and a lack of fear regarding the ground game, Tsarukyan’s primary weapons become neutralized. He predicted that the contender would "panic" when faced with an opponent who possesses both the physical preparation and the mental resilience to resist his wrestling-heavy approach.

The Psychological Edge of "El Matador"

Central to Topuria's confidence is his belief in his own psychological threshold. The champion spoke candidly about the "pain and exhaustion" of his training camps, suggesting that he has pushed himself far beyond the limits most fighters are willing to endure. Topuria emphasized that he enters the Octagon with a "never give up" mentality that forces his opponents into a life-or-death struggle. This mental fortitude, he believes, is what separates a champion from a contender who might buckle when their initial game plan fails to yield results.