Nobody expected the lightweight picture to fall apart this fast. What should have been a straightforward path to Ilia Topuria‘s first title defense has devolved into a tangle of pulled contenders, poor timing, and a matchup that feels more promotional than competitive. And right in the center of the storm is Arman Tsarukyan.

Because, as outrageous as the UFC 324 announcement was, one thing stood out above everything else: the No. 1 contender was not included. Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett is a great bout, but does it have any merit? Rankings? Logic? None of it made the cut. And if you ask Renato Moicano, there’s only one person responsible for the mess the division is stuck in.

Moicano blames Arman Tsarukyan’s own misfortune for the UFC 324 snub

Renato Moicano did not hold back. He flat-out said that Arman Tsarukyan’s withdrawal from UFC 311 “f—– up the division,” claiming that things began to unravel when ‘Ahalkalakets’ was unable to face Islam Makhachev. “If Arman fought that night, the division would keep going,” he insisted, emphasizing how bizarre things appear now.

Especially with ‘El Matador’ now on a break, an interim title fight centered on a contender with one recent win, and Pimblett with zero victories against top-ten opponents. Moicano believes that is precisely why Gaethje–Pimblett feels flimsy. “It’s going to be a paper champ,” he stated, denying the legitimacy of an interim belt, which exists primarily because the real champion is unavailable.

And beneath the fury was a sharper point: Arman Tsarukyan‘s bad luck didn’t just hinder his personal climb; it jammed the entire system, allowing the UFC to shift from merit-based to star-first matchmaking. Meanwhile, ‘Ahalkalakets’ is watching the fallout with clear irritation. He’s already hit back, stating, “This isn’t family issues — this is the UFC’s game plan,” accusing the organization of paving the way for Paddy Pimblett to face Ilia Topuria.

He further doubled down: “Paddy is easy work. Justin is easy work. Ilia is easy work… nobody is on my level.” But confidence doesn’t solve what Moicano sees as the core problem: the night Arman couldn’t make the walk is when everything shifted. Justin Gaethje and ‘The Baddy’ are now fighting for an interim belt that half the division is side-eyeing, while Tsarukyan is on the outside looking in.

One injury and one withdrawal, and the entire weight class changed. Whether fair or not, that’s how ‘Money’ sees it, and that’s how UFC 324 ended up being the biggest “what just happened?” moment of the year. But that doesn’t mean everyone is ignoring it already — especially not Arman Tsarukyan, who picked his side in the UFC 324 main event.

Tsarukyan goes off on Paddy Pimblett in brutal UFC 324 verdict

So, when the UFC officially announced Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett, Arman Tsarukyan took it personally. The frustration that had been building throughout the matchmaking process suddenly boiled over, and he directed it all at ‘The Baddy.’ If he couldn’t fight for the interim belt, he’d at least make it clear to the world what he thought of the man who replaced him.

“It’s a business to build Paddy and make him easy fights,” he told ESPN MMA, adding that he hopes Gaethje “beats his a-” and fans can “forget about Paddy for the rest of our lives.” Then he described, in graphic detail, how they would fight: “With Paddy, I’m never going for the choke. I’m going to elbow him all day, all night and make his face bleed.”

The rant continued to escalate, from offering to fly out and assist ‘The Highlight’ in shutting down Pimblett to stating, “I hate that guy,” and threatening “a real Armenian slap” if they crossed paths. This wasn’t promo talk; it was pure frustration from a top contender watching the belt he earned slip into someone else’s hands. And if Justin Gaethje accepts his offer, UFC 324 may be the night Tsarukyan fights without even entering the cage.