{"id":34259,"date":"2025-07-30T12:09:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T12:09:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/34259\/"},"modified":"2025-07-30T12:09:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T12:09:09","slug":"morning-report-michael-bisping-asks-if-ilia-topuria-is-pulling-a-jon-jones-by-not-fighting-arman-tsarukyan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/34259\/","title":{"rendered":"Morning Report: Michael Bisping asks if Ilia Topuria is \u2018pulling a Jon Jones\u2019 by not fighting Arman Tsarukyan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Michael Bisping<\/a> hopes Ilia Topuria<\/a> doesn\u2019t fall into the same pattern as Jon Jones<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On his YouTube<\/a> channel, Bisping opined on the potential challengers for Topuria, who recently vacated the featherweight title to move up to lightweight, where he was successful in capturing a vacant lightweight title when he knocked out Charles Oliveira<\/a> at UFC 317<\/a>. The current frontrunners are Paddy Pimblett<\/a> (a longtime rival that confronted Topuria in the cage after his UFC 317 triumph), Justin Gaethje, and Arman Tsarukyan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If it were up to Bisping, Tsarukyan would get the call. Tsarukyan is currently ranked No. 2 in the UFC\u2019s official contender rankings, behind only Islam Makhachev<\/a>, who is leaving the division to challenge welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena<\/a>. Bisping drew parallels between Tsarukyan chasing Topuria, and current heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall<\/a> recently pursuing a fight with Jon Jones.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs Ilia Topuria pulling a Jon Jones?\u201d Bisping asked. \u201cBecause Arman Tsarukyan is a real threat to anybody. He is a tremendous fighter. I know a lot of people discredit him for pulling out at the last minute, and rightly so, that\u2019s not a good look. However, he\u2019s a really, really good fighter, simple as that. He can do it all.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got the striking, the wrestling, the cardio, the strength. He\u2019s very young, he\u2019s in his prime. The man\u2019s an absolute monster. Ilia Topuria said if the UFC made him fight Arman Tsarukyan, he would vacate the belt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tsarukyan is in a strange spot as he was supposed to face then-champion Makhachev for the lightweight belt at UFC 311<\/a> this past January, but lost the opportunity when a back injury forced him out of the contest a day before fight night. UFC CEO Dana White<\/a> has said Tsarukyan likely has to fight again to earn another title shot, but that hasn\u2019t stopped Tsarukyan from campaigning to get the Topuria fight.<\/p>\n

He has even taking to employing similar tactics to Aspinall, suggesting Topuria is \u201cducking\u201d the matchup.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Topuria] doesn\u2019t want to fight him,\u201d Bisping said. \u201cHe wants nothing to do with Arman Tsarukyan. So now Arman Tsarukyan\u2019s out there. He\u2019s making videos of little ducks. \u2026 He\u2019s doing a Tom Aspinall, taking a duck wherever he went with him. Remember that whole saga with Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall? \u2026 But now we\u2019ve got a new version. Now it\u2019s Ilia Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan. Arman Tsarukyan\u2019s even making a bet, offering him $500,000, half a million bucks if he beats him. Doing whatever he can to get the fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could say that Ilia\u2019s only doing this to get under the skin of Arman Tsarukyan, but it\u2019s not a good look,\u201d Bisping added. \u201cIf you\u2019re the champion – just like when Jon Jones was the champion – if you\u2019re the champion, you\u2019ve got to fight the interim champ if there is one. If you\u2019re the champion, you\u2019re supposed to fight the No. 1 guy, simple as that.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the moment, Bisping is leaning towards Gaethje getting the title shot, due to Topuria ruling out Tsarukyan, and Gaethje being both a fan favorite and a respected company man. However, he sees a scenario where Tsarukyan gets the Topuria fight, and Gaethje and Pimblett battle to be next in line.<\/p>\n

Whomever Topuria ends up fighting, Bisping hopes he understands the optics of not facing the designated No. 1 contender.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to talk shit about Ilia Topuria because the man is awesome,\u201d Bisping said. \u201cEvery time I\u2019ve met him he\u2019s an absolute class act. He\u2019s humble. He\u2019s down to earth. He\u2019s great to talk to. He\u2019s very intelligent. He\u2019s good for the sport. He\u2019s a great ambassador. He represents two countries. Fights his goddamn ass off. He\u2019s got excellent skills all over the place.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I ain\u2019t criticizing the guy apart from the fact that for whatever reason he doesn\u2019t want to fight Arman Tsarukyan. \u2026 Right now, he\u2019s got nothing but big options. Ilia Topuria needs to fight. He needs to accept the fight with Arman Tsarukyan. Because who\u2019s he going to fight? Is it going to be Paddy Pimblett? Arman\u2019s out there talking shit about Paddy Pimblett, saying his last few opponents if you combined their records they\u2019ve lost their last 13 in a row\u2026 That doesn\u2019t quite stack up, but I get the point that he\u2019s making however, he\u2019s building his brand. Justin Gaethje has been around forever, however he\u2019s ranked No. 3 and he has fought for the belt twice. Arman Tsarukyan is ranked No. 1. Whether he likes it, Ilia likes, anyone likes it. If you want to do it on a merit-based system, Arman Tsarukyan is the guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reaper. Robert Whittaker<\/a> is looking ahead following a disappointing loss<\/a> at UFC Abu Dhabi<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Uhhhh. Fighter gets paid, but doesn\u2019t show up to fight<\/a> in Brazil.<\/p>\n

Disaster. Would Ciryl Gane<\/a> beating Tom Aspinall mess up the heavyweight division<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Justified? Fans have had a mixed reaction<\/a> to Dan Hooker<\/a>\u2019s recent criticisms of the UFC.<\/p>\n

Target. Coming off of a close win over Stephen \u201cWonderboy\u201d Thompson<\/a>, Gabriel Bonfim<\/a> wants Colby Covington next<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Say it ain\u2019t so!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Mighty Mouse and Mike Perry<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

UFC 318<\/a> Fight Motion.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Dulatov, so hot right now. Dulatov.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Fighter vs. Writer. MMA Fighting\u2019s Damon Martin talks to Matt Brown<\/a> about which UFC champion faces the most pressure in their upcoming title fights, plus what to make of Renato Moicano<\/a> turning down the money from a recent UFC settlement.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The definitive fight week schedule.<\/p>\n

We gotta do what we gotta do, Angie!<\/p>\n

Love.<\/p>\n

Let \u2018em know.<\/p>\n

I mean…<\/p>\n

Thoughts?<\/p>\n

By supporting the Ali “revival” Act has the Association of Boxing Commissions betrayed boxers?<\/p>\n

\u2014 Erik Magraken (@erikmagraken) July 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Topuria vs. Pimblett, that\u2019s the one to make.<\/p>\n

But what do I know? Let your voice be heard!<\/p>\n

Poll
\n Who do you want to see Ilia Topuria defend his title against first?<\/p>\n

\n 0%\n <\/p>\n

Arman Tsarukyan<\/p>\n

(0 votes)<\/p>\n

\n 0%\n <\/p>\n

Other (leave comment below)<\/p>\n

(0 votes)<\/p>\n

1 vote total<\/p>\n

Vote Now<\/a><\/p>\n

If you find something you\u2019d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKlee<\/a> or @JedKMeshew<\/a> on Twitter and let us know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Twitter<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n