The next challenger for the UFC lightweight title is still up in the air.
Ilia Topuria last defended his belt in June with a first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira when Paddy Pimblett stormed the Octagon to challenge the Spaniard.
However, the division’s number one, Arman Tsarukyan, has been outspoken about the fact that he deserves his opportunity against Topuria, who is exploring the possibility of a Justin Gaethje fight.
Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
He has posted videos to social media of himself chasing ducks, and claimed Pimblett should be ‘deleted’ from the UFC rankings.
MMA legend backs Arman Tsarukyan as he fires shots at Ilia Topuria and the UFC
While this has not made him popular with the champion or other lightweight contenders, he has found supporters among legends of the fight game.
Henry Cejudo took to the Pound4Pound podcast to blast the organisation and ‘El Matador’ over the handling of the situation.
He said: “They don’t want to see a fight with Paddy the Baddy… He (Topuria) said he doesn’t want to give Arman a chance for the belt. He’d rather relinquish that. The UFC does not want to hear that.
“Once you start thinking you’re bigger than the UFC, you start to become public enemy number one.
“Even though you are a champion and you do have two belts, you still don’t hold leverage as you do.”
In response to the champion’s threat of giving up the belt, the Armenian said Ilia ‘knows he will lose’, so he is looking to take ‘easy’ fights instead.
Cejudo furthered his criticisms and even took a slight shot at ‘The Baddy’ for being the potential recipient of the title opportunity over Arman.
He said: “If beating a guy like Michael Chandler, who is 7-2 in the UFC, gets you a title shot, then man, maybe Lerrone’s quote of the UFC being more of an entertainment company, maybe that’s what the UFC is, a little bit more.”
Paddy the Baddy teases fight news soon in social media post aimed at Ilia Topuria
There has been no confirmation of a date for the next title defence of the lightweight division’s king, but the Scouse stylist seems close to confirming some news of his own.
Writing in an Instagram post, he appears to be teasing fans as to his next fight.
Paddy wrote: “Just waiting on that phone call. El Chorizo, I’m coming for you.”
While he could be trying to nudge the fighting pride of Spain into a fight, he may still have one more challenger to get through in the top 10 before being afforded the opportunity.