Arman Tsarukyan has climbed the ranks of the UFC’s lightweight division with grit, skill, and determination. But now that he’s ranked No. 1, he’s finding it tough to get a fight with the champion Ilia Topuria. The Armenian-Russian powerhouse hasn’t been shy about calling for a title shot. His recent performances speak for themselves, including dominant wins over top-tier contenders. Yet, instead of a championship fight being booked, Tsarukyan has been met with silence from Topuria’s camp. And that silence is starting to wear thin.

Topuria, on the other hand, has remained relatively quiet about the matchup. ‘EL Matador’, after winning his fight at UFC 317, made it clear that he wants to give Paddy Pimblett a chance next. With the lightweight division heating up, fans and pundits are wondering just how long Topuria can avoid the inevitable clash. Tsarukyan is young, hungry, and undeniably dangerous. If he keeps making noise, the UFC may have no choice but to answer. And it seems Tsarukyan might just get the chance to fight the champion next, as shared by him during a recent interview.

The number one contender recently sat down for a chat with Kamil Gadzhiev on his show on his YouTube channel. While speaking on the show, the 28-year-old seemed confident that he would be next for a clash with Topuria. He said, “But it is the most likely, since I am the first contender. But the UFC can do whatever they want, so to speak. And even if I don’t fight for the title, I know that I might have one more fight, and another, and another, but still, if I’m worthy and win everyone, they won’t go anywhere, they’ll give me this title fight. I think there is a 70% chance that I will fight Topuria.” 

Former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen also feels that Tsarukyan might have a chance. ‘The American Gangster’ feels the way Topuria is behaving; it’s showing that the Armenian fighter is next on the card. He said, ” Ilia’s first move for doing a fight is to deny the fight. The only person he’s ever openly said, “I’ll fight is Patty”. Everybody else that he’s getting ready to fight, he denies. It’s just his approach.” Amid all the buzz and uncertainty, former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub stepped in with some fresh perspective, shedding light on what he believes are Ilia Topuria’s real intentions behind the scenes.

Ilia Topuria is playing smart in delaying his fight with Tsarukyan feels Schaub

After an untimely injury forced Arman Tsarukyan to vacate his title shot ahead of UFC 317 in January 2025, he was still present at the event—this time as the official backup fighter. That night, Ilia Topuria seized the spotlight, capturing the lightweight crown with a stunning knockout victory over Charles Oliveira. But the chaos didn’t end there. As Topuria celebrated his crowning moment, rising fan-favorite Paddy Pimblett made an uninvited entrance into the Octagon, setting the stage for a tense face-off. The impromptu standoff sent the crowd into a frenzy and instantly sparked speculation about a possible clash between the two.

However, UFC President Dana White was quick to pour cold water on the idea. In post-fight interviews, he downplayed the confrontation and made it clear he’s not sold on Pimblett being next in line for Topuria. Despite the buzz, White hinted that the lightweight division has more fitting contenders, but Tsarukyan has hopes that he still has an option to get a fight. However, Brendan Schaub feels Topuria is playing the situation very smartly. While speaking on the JAXXON PODCAST with Bear Degidio and Rampage Jackson, he said, “I won’t say he’s dodging him,”. 

He further added, “I think he’s being a businessman. If I [were] his manager, I’d tell him the exact same thing.” Brendan Schaub weighed in on the potential matchup, noting that while Ilia Topuria would likely enter as the favorite, Arman Tsarukyan would be his toughest test. He further added,  “If you’re Ilia and you’re his team, you’re like, ‘Bro, Paddy,’ and I don’t think that’s an easy fight for him. But it’s like, ‘All right, Paddy or Arman.’ Arman’s a f—ing problem. And Paddy, it is what it is,”. Do you think Arman Tsarukyan will be getting a title shot next in his career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.