Arman Tsarukyan wasn’t impressed by Justin Gaethje or Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324.
After watching Saturday’s headliner from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where Gaethje (27-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) earned a unanimous decision victory over Pimblett (23-4 MMA, 7-1 UFC) to become interim lightweight champion, Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) came to the conclusion that neither man looked like the best 155-pound fighter in the world, or even close to it.
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Tsarukyan felt Pimblett never belonged in this fight or deserved the opportunity, and he said the result reinforced that.
“I told everybody Justin gonna win by decision,” Pimblett told Megan Olivi post-fight on Paramount+. “I didn’t understand his game plan. He wanted to box with Gaethje, but he couldn’t wrestle him, he couldn’t box him and he just a little bit young and he has a better chin. But he’s a trash can.”
“Paddy is not top fighter,” Tsarukyan said. “If it was me or Ilia (Topuria), Justin couldn’t fight like that.”
Tsarukyan thinks Gaethje didn’t look that great, either, and called him “old” and vulnerable. Gaethje’s win should set him up for a title unification fight with Topuria later this year, but Tsarukyan said he envisions a different scenario coming to life.
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“I think I’ll fight with Gaethje and Topuria going to fight for the 170 title (vs. Islam Makhachev),” Tsarukyan said. “I just guess.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Arman Tsarukyan rips ‘trash can’ Paddy Pimblett, wants Justin Gaethje
