PPV: UFC 328: Chimaev v Strickland | SUN 10 MAY 11AM AEST | UFC Middleweight Champion Khamzat Chimaev will return to the octagon for the first defence of his title, where he takes on former champ Sean Strickland, in Newark. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.<\/a><\/p>\n Tsarukyan is the obvious frontrunner, but his missteps out of the cage have left the UFC hesitant to give him another title shot.<\/p>\n To his credit, Tsarukyan\u2019s been flat out building his profile – hitting social media, showing up on streams and getting himself out there – and it\u2019s starting to pay off.<\/p>\n Topuria, though, isn\u2019t buying it.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m really impressed with how dumb he is,\u201d Topuria told The Ariel Helwani show.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a retard. I don\u2019t know. He looks like a kid. Like his mentality. He\u2019s dumb as f**k.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything that I saw about him on the internet, it\u2019s embarassing. A little bit. … F**k Arman. Who cares about him?<\/p>\n \u201cThe thing that I don\u2019t like is when they play that they are rich and they show all that money and it\u2019s like, bro, you\u2019re not even rich. <\/p>\n \u201cAre you that poor that the only thing that you have is money? And you\u2019re spending your father\u2019s money, not even yours. You know what I mean. He\u2019s a f**king kid.\u201d<\/p>\n The pair have traded shots online before, but Topuria reckons it\u2019s all very different when they\u2019re face to face.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know how they all play. They all gangsters, and when we cross the paths, they are like, \u2018Oh, how are you? You all good?\u2019,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n UFC champion Ilia Topuria takes aim at Arman TsarukyanSource: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n \u201cThey smile, they like humble, normal human beings. But on Twitter, everyone is a gangster.\u201d<\/p>\n As for a potential showdown, the champ couldn\u2019t sound less concerned.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not on my level,\u201d Topuria said. <\/p>\n \u201cIf we cross paths, I\u2019m gonna break his jaw in the first round. What\u2019s he going to do? He\u2019s going to take me down? F**k, please. Listen to me, calm down. <\/p>\n \u201cCalm down, do your thing, go to those wrestling tournaments, do your streams, and whenever the moment arrives, just make sure to show up, and I\u2019m going to do the rest. The little weasel.\u201d<\/p>\n Topuria has previously shown more interest in chasing welterweight champ Islam Makhachev <\/a>after Gaethje, rather than facing Tsarukyan.<\/p>\n But if plans change, he says he\u2019ll step up.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they call me tomorrow and they tell me that Justin is injured, I will fight Arman,\u201d Topuria said. \u201cNo problem.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE UFC <\/p>\n \u2018Ten minutes from your gym\u2019: UFC title rivalry turns dark over champ\u2019s street fight death threat<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
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