What is going on with UFC matchmaking? Ilia Topuria has stepped aside from competition for the first quarter of 2026 to resolve some personal issues. So, Dana White chose to keep the division running with an interim title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett while more deserving contenders are sidelined. Now, both White and Topuria are facing the heat of it, with the latter’s title reign under heavy fire.

No one expected Arman Tsarukyan to make the highlight-reel comeback at UFC Qatar that he did. He has been the No. 1 contender for the division belt for a while now, but Topuria has suspiciously dodged the Armenian fighter, making fans accuse him of avoiding a ‘tough’ fight. Now, Michael Bisping has jumped on the wagon.

Michael Bisping reminds Ilia Topuria what it means to be a champion

The LW champion has refused to fight Arman Tsarukyan numerous times before. In fact, ‘El Matador’ claimed he’d rather vacate his belt than fight the Armenian challenger, solely because of his unreliable demeanor. So, when Topuria released his statement on taking a break from the Octagon, fans were quick to accuse him of avoiding Tsarukyan. A celebratory clip online added fuel to the fire.

Michael Bisping addressed the situation on the Fight CAT podcast. “He’s one of the very best in the sport right now. Simple as that,” he began. “However, the question is, ‘Where is Ilia? What is he saying?’ He has got to respond to these guys. And I know we said a while ago that he would rather uh vacate than defend against Armen, right? But it’s like Ian Gary, and we’ll get to him. It’s like Ian said on the mic to Islam, ‘You’re the champ. You’ve got an obligation to defend against the best.'”

Bisping further questioned Topuria’s plans and his statement on his UFC career when his co-host, Paul Felder, revealed that the Georgian fighter was eyeing Paddy Pimblett, fighting for the interim belt.  Although he understands why UFC loves that potential matchup, he doesn’t quite stand with the decision.

“The UFC is going to love that just because of how many eyeballs are going to be on that particular fight. They’ve got history. It makes sense. Do I think it’s the fight that should happen? Do a lot of fans probably think it’s the fight that should happen? Nah, it’s probably not. Just if we’re basing it on merit and really who’s in the rankings and who should be fighting, probably not,” Felder added.

While the Liverpool fighter brings his own edge to the fight, matching Tsarukyan’s energy isn’t easy. The Armenian fighter can attack and expose areas that Topuria hasn’t truly been tested on yet. With extended wrestling, grappling chains, and deep cardio, this is the closest threat we can get to a bout with Islam Makhachev, who has moved up weight classes to exit the equation.

“If you beat Paddy, you’ve got to fight Arman. You can’t say that you’re not gonna fight this guy. He’s the best guy that has the best chance at beating you for that belt in the division,” Felder exclaimed. But it seems like the heat is brewing outside the cages for these two fighters.

Arman Tsarukyan pulls back the curtains on a viral online clip

While Ilia Topuria has been flatly refusing to face Arman Tsarukyan since his victorious march, he hasn’t been very subtle about triggering his Armenian counterpart. Some time earlier, the LW champion posted a video online, showing him slapping Tsarukyan on the back in an encounter outside the Octagon. Posing ‘Ahalkalakets’ as a coward in real life, that clip didn’t fail to rouse fan engagement.

Tsarukyan was quick to shut down that narrative. “He just came, hugged me, and then he’s saying this is a slap. If it was a slap, I’m not a man anymore. If he slapped me while I’m laughing, what are you talking about? I could kill him there right away,” he shared on the Ariel Helwani Show.

“It was in June in Baku. He came and said, ‘Hi bro, how are you, this media thing is just for the media,’ and he hugged me. Then he started talking after that. I said, ‘Bro, you’re such a fake guy. In person, you behave like a good guy, and on Twitter, you start talking. I’m not fake like you. If I want to say something to you, I’ll say the same thing. He is one person in real life and another on social media,'” Tsarukyan laid bare the details of their interaction.

Clearly, Topuria vs Tsarukyan is one of the biggest storylines in the lightweight division right now, even if they don’t have a fight scheduled or even in talks. Will Topuria finally succumb to the media pleas?