Arman Tsarukyan didn’t just question Ilia Topuria’s skills this week, he questioned the image the champion is trying to portray!  And in true Tsarukyan fashion, he did it with a smirk, a jab, and a dose of financial reality that instantly sent fans into debate mode. For months, Topuria has built an aura far beyond the Octagon. Three straight knockouts over Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira turned him into a two-division force.

His move to lightweight ended with UFC gold at UFC 317, cementing his rise. And outside the cage? He’s reportedly flying private from Spain to the U.S., streaming with the Nelk Boys, and comparing the luxury of private travel to never wanting to step back into commercial life. At $100,000 each way, Topuria’s jet lifestyle has become part of the myth, the imagery that sells him as the UFC’s next global superstar. But Arman Tsarukyan isn’t buying all of it. Not the mystique. Not the flex. And certainly not the jet!

During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Tsarukyan was asked about Topuria’s flashy travel setup with the personalized carpet, the jet photos, the whole package. He wasted no time firing back. “I’m not rich like Ilia Topuria, flying the private jets always,” Tsarukyan said, before zeroing in on the detail that bothered him most.

The lightweight contender pointed out, “You’re supposed to have jet, not fake like he did, like fake carpet with his name or last name, like even how you can put your last name on the carpet and everybody like… stepping on that thing.

When Ariel Helwani pressed him, did he really think Topuria didn’t own the jet? Tsarukyan didn’t hesitate as he doubled down with, “Oh my… No way he owns that jet.”

So, why not? Tsarukyan leaned into the math to prove his point, “Do you know how much costs that jet? Approximately maybe 20 mil… at least 20 mil.” And then came the knockout punch as Helwani asked, “You don’t think he’s making that kind of money now?”

Arman Tsarukyan shot back, “No way. No way he’s making 20 mil… he didn’t make 20 million yet. Maybe in a couple years.” According to Tsarukyan, Ilia Topuria may be a star, but he’s not private-jet-owner rich. Not yet.

Here’s where things get interesting. Topuria has openly shared what his flights cost in his conversation with the Nelk Boys: $100,000 to the U.S., $100,000 back. That’s $200,000 per trip, and he’s done it multiple times. But flying private and owning a jet are completely different worlds. One is luxury. The other is generational wealth. Even Conor McGregor didn’t outright buy one until he was neck-deep in global superstardom.

Topuria? He’s a surging champion, but he’s still early in his earning arc compared to the McGregor era, the era ‘El Matador’ is constantly compared to. As such, Arman Tsarukyan’s skepticism isn’t just shade. It’s economics, after all; it’s not like he’s a stranger to the high life himself!

Arman Tsarukyan leaves UFC Qatar in style after massive win over Dan Hooker

Fresh off his comeback win at UFC Qatar, Tsarukyan didn’t wait long before proving he knows his way around a luxury runway. Hours after choking out Dan Hooker in the second round, he and his team were already boarding a private jet out of Doha. No carpets with his name stitched on them, but definitely the kind of ride most contenders rarely treat themselves to.

Footage shared online showed Tsarukyan and five teammates climbing aboard a sleek six-seat jet, McDonald’s bags in hand, laughing like a group of friends who’d just pulled off the perfect heist. The cost of that flight? Depending on the aircraft, anywhere between $20,000 and $100,000. And they didn’t stroll onto the tarmac either, they were driven to the plane in a Rolls-Royce.

So when Arman Tsarukyan calls out Ilia Topuria’s jet habits, he’s not doing it from the back row of economy. But the spending didn’t stop there. UFC brass handed Tsarukyan a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus, the sixth of his career, and his reaction was almost casual. In a backstage clip, he smiled at the news and then joked that he’d put the money toward buying a watch from his teammate, Khamzat Chimaev, a watch, he added, that costs $150,000.

A bonus wasn’t going to cover it. Not even close. But that’s the point: Tsarukyan comes from wealth, lives comfortably, and moves in the same circles as other big spenders in the sport. So when he drops a line about who can or can’t afford a $20 million jet? He’s speaking from a place of quiet and very real financial experience!