“He’s the biggest hypocrite I’ve ever seen in my life,” Ilia Topuria called his shots at the former Lightweight Champion, Islam Makhachev, back when the fighters were in talks for a potential showdown. However, even as Topuria put his LW crown on hold for the first quarter of 2026, the Georgian hasn’t put his tongue on hold.

Ilia Topuria has been taking a lot of heat for his latest hiatus from the UFC, citing family issues, for ducking the Armenian fighter Arman Tsarukyan. Topuria’s answer? Push back with more criticism for the past and potential rivals. This doesn’t sit well with Makhachev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, of Dominance MMA Management.

Ilia Topuria under scrutiny for hateful comments on Khabib, Islam, and Arman

Taking to X, Ali Abdelaziz spat his disapproval of Topuria’s demeanor, as he wrote, “I’m a little bit confused. Everybody giving this guy space and respect to resolve his family problems. And should be. But when he come out talking about Habib, Islam, Arman, for no reason. And he’s not even fighting. I’m not sure if people should give him a pass anymore.”

Holding Topuria accountable for his words at the interview with Eldoberdan MMA, Islam Makhachev’s longtime manager brought Topuria’s cheap shots to the limelight.

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The Georgian-Spaniard expressed his enthusiasm in a recorded interview connected to his WOW MMA promotion for a bout with the Dagestani wrestler and Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s protege, Islam Makhachev.

“Everyone knows it’s a fight that everyone wants to see. And for some reason, he hasn’t accepted it yet,” Topuria exclaimed.

In a bold call to put Makhachev to sleep, Topuria added, “He talks too much. It’s very easy to talk from thousands of kilometers away, to judge and criticize me. When you’re in the octagon with me, you’ll realize I’m not Jack Della Maddalena or Dan Hooker. When my right hand lands, you’re going to have a very long sleep.”

Moreover, Topuria called the attitude of the Dagestani troop off-putting and arrogant, promising that he’d submit Makhachev in front of Nurmagomedov, and then “step on [Khabib’s] head,” too.

And then, he shifted his critiques to Arman Tsarukyan.

Exclaiming that Tsarukyan had had his chances for the title fight that he sabotaged, Topuria strictly denied a bout with the Armenian fighter. He cited Tsarukyan’s unreliability as his reason for disapproval of the fighter, before adding derogatory remarks.

“Maybe he had to change his underwear after making that decision. They sat at a table, and you know what they said? [expletive] Arman. So, Arman, from here, go [expletive] yourself.”

Meanwhile, Arman Tsarukyan, who has called out the Spaniard on multiple occasions, wasn’t just about to take hits and let it pass.

Arman Tsarukyan blasts Ilia Topuria amid UFC snub issues

The Armenian fighter was already taking heat from the world of MMA after being unfairly snubbed of his rightful title shot. The opportunity was instead given to Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje for an interim title, two lightweights who have not generated the same level of excitement as Tsarukyan.

When Topuria added fuel to the flame with his latest incendiary comments on ‘Ahalkalakets,’ Tsarukyan spat back.

“You talking about taking time off from fighting to fix your family issues, but it looks like you have plenty of free time for all these interviews. You’re a joke, El Panocha 🐱,” he wrote on X, commenting on Topuria’s hypocritical behavior.

Addressing the title snub, Tsarukyan told ESPN, “They know I could beat everybody. That’s why they didn’t give me the title fight.”

He continued, “For me, Paddy is easy work. Justin Gaethje is easy work. Ilia is easy work. Islam Makhachev was hard work, but he left the division. Nobody in this division is on my level right now.”

Despite the setbacks and the backlash Arman Tsarukyan is facing right now, he remains optimistic about a future title shot against the division’s best fighter at the time. Tsarukyan believes that by the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026, he deserves his shot at the LW belt; however, whether that becomes a reality is debatable.