According to Paddy Pimblett, a title snub isn’t enough punishment for Arman Tsarukyan.
No. 1 contender Tsarukyan won’t be competing for the interim title after UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria announced he’s temporarily taking some time off. Instead, Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC) will take on Justin Gaethje (26-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) for the interim belt at UFC 324 on Jan. 24.
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Pimblett doesn’t agree with the argument that Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) should have been one-half of the interim title fight after he quickly submitted Dan Hooker at UFC Fight Night 265 last month.
“He’s boring,” Pimblett told Sky Sports of Tsarukyan. “I don’t really know anyone who wants to see Arman Tsarukyan fight. He pulled out on a day’s notice when he said he had a bad back when … he just couldn’t make weight. He ruined the main event. He punched a fan walking out of the cage, probably cost the UFC a lot more money, nearly ruined another main event for the first fight in Qatar by head butting Dan Hooker. Just don’t be a little spoiled brat and you might end up getting in good graces. It’s his own family’s fault for letting him be a spoiled little baby his whole life because he’s got money.
“He thinks he can pay his way out of anything. You got told you’ve got to work your way back to the title. Beating Dan Hooker, who can’t grapple to save his life, doesn’t do that. It’s funny because he’s left out in the cold now because Charles (Oliveira) is fighting Max (Holloway), and I’m fighting Justin. The next person down the rankings is Dan Hooker, who he just beat. He’s going to have to rematch (Mateusz) Gamrot or something and try to beat Gamrot because for now, nobody gives a flying f*ck about Arman Tsarukyan.”
The UFC’s woes with Tsarukyan started in January when he pulled out of his lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev just a day before UFC 311. Pimblett does not believe his version of the story.
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“He never had a bad back,” Pimblett said. “He was doing all stupid sh*t the day before, doing mad rollovers and all that. There was nothing wrong with his back. He just didn’t feel right or wasn’t going to make weight. He sh*t himself – simple as (that), end of (story). He’s lucky he hasn’t been cut. Never mind he’s not fighting for the belt, he’s lucky he’s still on the roster.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Paddy Pimblett: ‘Boring’ Arman Tsarukyan lucky UFC didn’t cut him
