Ilia Topuria Claims Arman Tsarukyan Will Panic Against Him Just Like Movsar Evloev Did at UFC 333

· Yahoo Sports

Arman Tsarukyan is currently the frontrunner for a shot at the lightweight title. After finishing Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331, the Armenian finally managed to get back into Dana White’s good books.

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However, Tsarukyan wasn’t too impressed with Alexander Volkanovski ahead of UFC 333, especially after the Australian started campaigning for a shot at the 155-pound title against Justin Gaethje.

He questioned Volk’s age and durability, but the featherweight champion may have silenced those doubts after shutting down Movsar Evloev’s wrestling and stopping him in Abu Dhabi. Interestingly, Ilia Topuria believes Tsarukyan could face similar problems against him if the two ever share the Octagon.

The Spaniard, who is targeting an April 2027 return, drew comparisons between Tsarukyan and Evloev’s struggles against Volkanovski at UFC 333. He also isn’t particularly impressed with the Armenian’s wrestling credentials and believes his takedowns alone won’t be enough against elite competition.

Ilia Topuria Dismisses Arman Tsarukyan’s Wrestling Credentials, Explains Why

During a recent interview with Diario ABC, Topuria broke down a potential matchup between Tsarukyan and himself following Volkanovski’s impressive performance against Evloev.

He said, “Arman is going to be pure panic. On the feet, trying to take you down. Like the Movsar [Evloev] fight with [Volkanovski], the same thing. They’re very used to dominating all the time, and their confidence grows through that domination.

He added, “But when you can’t dominate, especially when you are a wrestler. These days, wrestling and wrestling defense in MMA have evolved so much. If your wrestling isn’t backed up by a good ground game, it’s actually pretty exhausting. And Arman doesn’t stand out for his ground game.”

Topuria believes Tsarukyan’s takedowns won’t be enough to trouble him, especially after seeing Evloev struggle to impose his wrestling on Volkanovski at UFC 333.

The Spaniard added, “He stands out for his takedowns and the dominant positions he looks for. But how many times have you seen someone stop his takedowns and then go after him? The same thing that happened against Volk.”

Topuria also pointed out how Evloev struggled once he couldn’t rely on his usual wrestling-heavy approach against the Australian.

He further explained, “[Movsar] was so used to taking people down all the time and resting in the clinch. Resting on their backs and all that. But against Volk, he couldn’t do any of that. What happened? Panic, and he gave up.”

 

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The former 2-division champion then turned his attention to his own credentials. Topuria reminded everyone that he has won world titles in two divisions and has spent most of his life wrestling. He clearly doesn’t believe Tsarukyan would have an easy night against him.

He said, “I’ve been world champion in two divisions. I’ve been in four world title fights. And sometimes it’s like I have no idea, like everyone knows more than me. Guys, I grew up on the ground. I grew up wrestling. It’s my life.”

Finally, Topuria made it clear that he wouldn’t shy away from facing Tsarukyan if the UFC decides to put the vacant lightweight title on the line between them.

With Gaethje’s future still uncertain, a potential Topuria-Tsarukyan clash could become an interesting option for the UFC. And judging by the Spaniard’s latest comments, he would have no problem settling things with the Armenian inside the Octagon.

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