Questions are beginning to pile up over whether star Paddy Pimblett has what it takes to be a UFC champion right now. Fans are talking after he lost in a grappling tournament at his own gym just weeks before UFC 324. Now, top-ranked contender Arman Tsarukyan has jumped into the debate.

Every year, Pimblett’s Liverpool gym runs the ‘King of the Mat’ tournament, and for five straight years, he dominated it as the face of the event. This time, however, he got caught off guard. BJJ black belt Aaron Jordan locked in a calf slicer and made Paddy Pimblett tap, handing him a shocking defeat just ahead of the biggest fight of his career. When clips of Pimblett’s submission loss went viral, Arman Tsarukyan didn’t miss the chance to seize the moment, mocking him online.

Arman Tsarukyan won’t let Paddy Pimblett’s recent loss fade quietly

“Is this the trash can that said he can out grapple me?” wrote Arman Tsarukyan on X, aiming at Paddy Pimblett’s grappling. He also reposted the MMA Media Outlet post showing ‘The Baddy’s submission loss.

With champion Ilia Topuria on a break, Dana White and Co. picked Paddy Pimblett over Arman Tsarukyan, setting him up against Justin Gaethje for the interim title at UFC 324. The choice hasn’t gone down well with fans, critics, or even ‘Ahalkalakets’ himself, but he’ll have to live with it.

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Meanwhile, Arman Tsarukyan’s mocking of Pimblett’s latest BJJ defeat gives him a mental edge heading into his showdown with Justin Gaethje, who brings an extensive wrestling background alongside his striking. For context, ‘The Highlight’ represented Northern Colorado as an NCAA Division I wrestler and became the first wrestler from the school to earn Division I All-American honors.

Outside the Octagon, Arman Tsarukyan is making waves in the grappling and wrestling scene. Last year, he fought only once in the UFC but still competed five times on the ground in BJJ matches, defeating top-level opponents.

‘Ahalkalakets’ also won the ACBJJ tournament, claiming the inaugural ACBJJ “All-Star” title. This weekend, he returns to the mats in America under RAF Wrestling, aiming to defeat former NCAA standout and two-time PFL champion Lance Palmer.

Even with the upcoming match, Arman Tsarukyan keeps taunting his UFC rivals.

Ilia Topuria gets called out by Tsarukyan over his height

After last year’s UFC 311 main event fell through, many critics say that Arman Tsarukyan believes the UFC sidelined him for UFC 324 because of his ethnicity and nationality, and not because of the blunder he made.

With UFC 324 kicking off the promotion’s seven-year broadcasting deal with Paramount+, the UFC chose English-speaking fighters known for trash talk, like Paddy Pimblett, and fan favorites such as Justin Gaethje, even though fans argue that the Russian-Armenian deserved the title more.

Before mocking Pimblett, Arman Tsarukyan had already started trash-talking potential future opponents, including reigning champion Ilia Topuria. In a recent Instagram post, ‘Ahalkalakets’ showed that he was training with 4’11” Cuban wrestler Gustavo Balart, aiming for 5’7” Topuria.

“Finally found a sparring partner to help me prepare for Topuria,” Tsarukyan wrote on Instagram.

Although he stands roughly the same height as Topuria, Arman Tsarukyan continues to take shots at his opponents.

Now, with the trash talk heating up, how do you see Tsarukyan’s future in the division? Could he face the interim champion if Topuria extends his hiatus? Share your thoughts below.