MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has revealed that Ilia Topuria vs Arman Tsarukyan for the UFC lightweight championship is still the promotion’s plan at 155 pounds.
As we know, Ilia Topuria is an absolute monster – and one of the biggest stars in all of mixed martial arts. However, it’s unclear as to what his path is moving forward. He’s got plenty of potential contenders at lightweight and perhaps even at welterweight, but nobody knows for sure what the UFC will book.
If Chael Sonnen is to be believed, though, Ilia Topuria vs Arman Tsarukyan is the direction that they’re going to head in.
Chael Sonnen discusses Ilia Topuria vs Arman Tsarukyan
“Outside of illness or injury, even if I’m breaking news to you, I’m not sharing my opinion. I’m sharing a fact with you: It’s Arman vs. Ilia,” Sonnen told MMA Junkie. “That is 100 percent the plan.”
“There’s a couple things (that have changed for Tsarukyan),” Sonnen said. “I’m obviously coming to you with information, whether I should have or shouldn’t have. Secondly, I was the best man at his wedding and his name is Darryl Christian and he’s the wrestling coach of Arman Tsarukyan.
“Third of all, I just spoke to coach (Sam Calavitta) who wanted to film Chimaev training, and it turned out Tsarukyan is in the room. And a bigger tell also is what Ilia did a week ago, which he said, ‘I don’t want the fight.’ The greats, they don’t even know they have it. … Ilia’s first move for doing a fight is to deny the fight. The only person that he said he’ll openly fight is Paddy.
“(Tsarukyan) got put through a purgatory and he had to get out of it, but he did,” Sonnen said. “When he showed up, got licensed, weighed in, went through a training camp and he has to sit in the first row and even watch Paddy ‘The Baddy’ get in the ring and get the attention and not him, I’m just saying, there is an appreciation, historically, that has shined down – and it’s also going to be shown to him.”
Quotes via MMA Junkie