At UFC Qatar, Arman Tsarukyan proved why he’s the number one lightweight contender of the current era. In sheer dominance, the Armenian fighter ragdolled Dan Hooker for most of the fight before sinking in an arm-triangle choke to close the show. Just like that, ‘Akhalkalakets’ pushed himself far ahead in the 155 lbs title race. And after getting that crucial victory, he only wanted one thing and that was to fight for the title against Ilia Topuria. 

In the post-fight octagon interview with Michael Bisping, Tsarukyan called out the reigning champion Ilia Topuria. He claimed that everyone are well aware that he needs to compete for the title next and also said that he will be ready for the fight at th end of January, 2026. This callout excited the fans. And to make things better, Islam Makhachev also stepped in to show his approval for the number one contender’s right to face the champion.

Islam Makhachev is all in for Arman Tsarukyan to fight champion Ilia Topuria

Popular MMA social media account Red Corner MMA uploaded the video on their X account, where the newly crowned two-division champion praised Tsarukyan.

“I thought he would win, but didn’t expect it to be in such a dominant manner. I think Arman made a good statement. And showed that he deserved a title shot. I think he’s going to fight for the belt in his next fight,” Makhachev said.

The Dagestani icon echoed the UFC fans’ sentiment here. Even before the UFC Qatar headliner, Tsarukyan was seen as the fighter who could present a massive threat to Ilia Topuria, and after he defeated Dan Hooker, that belief only grew stronger. To add to that, Makhachev didn’t just back this fight now; he supported it earlier as well when Tsarukyan made weight as a backup for UFC 317, when Topuria and Oliveira fought.

“Yes, of course. When someone is a backup for a fight, made weight, he almost always fights for the title next. I don’t remember a time when they didn’t give them the title fight. Arman was the backup and made weight. I think he should be next,” Islam Makhachev said during a Q&A session in Russia back in September.

Now, the situation appears that Arman Tsarukyan stands very close to fighting for the championship. Also, it’s worth noting that ‘Akhalkalakets’ recent performance might have toppled Paddy Pimblett’s and Justin Gaethje’s chances. Well, ‘The Highlight facing Topuria next wasn’t always a sound possibility, but the Liverpudlian’s history with Topuria actually worked in his favor and pushed him toward a title shot despite his past opponent riding a 13-fight losing streak. 

However, at present, the rivalry between the Armenian and ‘El Matador’ seems to heat up even more. After UFC Qatar, they have been throwing constant verbal jabs at each other, and now it has gotten more heated than ever. 

‘El Matador’ and ‘Akhalkalakets’ trade heated verbal blows online 

Arman Tsarukyan understands that his fight against Ilia Topuria carries hype purely based on merit. But the Armenian also knows that simply becoming the number one contender for the lightweight title might not be enough here. He needs to build a real rivalry out of this matchup.

Because of that, the Armenian fighter took to X after his recent victory and wrote, “Respect to Dan Hooker for taking the fight. He has bigger b—s than champ of the division.” Here, Tsarukyan took a dig at Topuria for essentially dodging him and gave Hooker his flowers for actually taking the fight.

And after this insult, it was only a matter of time before the 155 lbs champ responded. He did so without holding anything back on X, writing, “Arman, every time we see each other in person, you freeze up like a scared duck with no idea what to do. You know I handle you however I want. I fight whoever the UFC chooses. And remember I slapped you and you just laughed, then you go around acting like a gangster. So keep going, you’re on the right path… just a few levels below me, kid.”

For the unversed, in Doha, Topuria and Tsarukyan shared an interaction where ‘El Matador’ seemed to have a friendly moment but grabbed his collar, while talking. So he used that moment here to jab back at ‘Akhalkalakets,’ accusing him of dodging the fight. That’s how the beef between them is heating up and pulling even more attention.

That said, as the animosity between these two top lightweights continues to grow, who do you think would come out victorious in a fight? Let us know in the comments section below.