UFC 324 was expected to be a clean, simple start to the Paramount era, with a champion, a challenger, and a division with direction. Instead, Ilia Topuria withdrew for personal reasons, and Dana White quickly filled the void with Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for an interim belt. On paper, it keeps the division moving. In reality, it cracked the fanbase in half within minutes. Because, while ‘The Baddy’ and Gaethje offer name value and chaos, the man everyone expected to get the call, Arman Tsarukyan, wasn’t anywhere in the picture.

The top contender, who was scheduled to fight in January after a spectacular submission win, was skipped over entirely. And fans didn’t just notice; they exploded on social media, making sure that the biggest MMA promotion in the world knew about this massive error in judgment.

Fans blast Dana White as Arman Tsarukyan gets bypassed

The reaction came in waves. “Arman needs to assault grab Dana like Ngannou did; he’s taking the p***,” one user complained, while another asked the obvious: “What do you mean the number one contender who just fought last week and took almost zero damage isn’t getting a title shot next?”

The sentiment was widespread: confusion mixed with disbelief. “Arman will have to wait till 2027 for a title fight 💔,” a fan joked, although it did not sound like a joke at all. Others were even harsher. “Bro, Dana f****** hates Arman 😭😭😭,” and the existential question: “So Arman is what now?” Then followed the larger accusation: “This is a joke. The rankings are just fiction.” That line summarized the day.

Fans didn’t just disagree; they no longer believed the system existed. When the interim matchup was officially announced, the internet went into overdrive. “Most forced interim fight ever, neither Paddy nor Justin deserve it rn,” someone declared, followed by a common theory, “The UFC go through so much to protect Ilia from Arman.”

Then came the ultimate blow, “They’re so obviously keeping Arman away from the title picture on purpose lmao.” Well, it looks like a majority of fans are surely against the decision made by the promotion. However, not everyone blamed the UFC CEO; others turned the fire back on ‘Ahalkalakets.’

“Bro, they gave a shot to Arman, but he pulled out 1 day before the fight. That was a big problem for the company,” one fan reminded. Another commented, “Arman pulled out 🤷 and just to impress Nina.” Another fan further emphasized the point, “Arman had a title fight last year and completely ruined the entire f****** card on one day’s notice.” To them, this was not punishment but rather a set of consequences.

The truth is somewhere in the middle. Arman Tsarukyan did earn the shot. But head honcho Dana White chose star power over rankings. Gaethje and Paddy will draw bigger numbers. But none of that affected how the fight felt to fans watching in real time—as if the most obvious contender had been sidelined while the UFC gambled on chaos for a bigger splash on Paramount.

And maybe Dana White is right. Maybe Gaethje vs. Paddy will be a crazy, nasty, and memorable bout. But that wasn’t the story tonight, though. The story was about a champion walking away, a challenger being ignored, and a fanbase believing that merit lost out to marketing once again. However, it wasn’t the first time that ‘Ahalkalakets’ was snubbed this week, as the number 1-ranked lightweight, by now, must’ve seen it all coming.

Ilia Topuria snubs Tsarukyan from list of contenders

For Arman Tsarukyan, the interim snub didn’t come out of nowhere. Days before UFC 324 descended into chaos, Ilia Topuria had made his position known. Despite watching ‘Ahalkalakets’ crush Dan Hooker, the champion remained unconcerned. In his mind, the Armenian forfeited his opportunity the moment he withdrew on one day’s notice earlier this year.

So, while many were surprised to see him pass over, Arman Tsarukyan probably saw it coming the moment Topuria opened his mouth. Because when ‘El Matador’ listed the names he wanted next, Tsarukyan was not even mentioned. Instead, he openly advocated for Islam Makhachev at welterweight, a three-division fantasy bout, or Paddy Pimblett if he stayed at lightweight.

Two big stars, two big options, but still, ‘Ahalkalakets’ might have been purposely overlooked. And it did not end there. Topuria made no mention of Gaethje or any of the expected contenders, instead just saying, “I have Paddy on my mind.” For a champion who had previously promised to fight anyone, anywhere, the message was different this time. And Tsarukyan didn’t just get skipped by the UFC, he was dismissed by the man holding the belt. Would you like to see Topuria back inside the Octagon? If yes, who should he fight?