Arman Tsarukyan is doing it again: he makes the UFC look awkward without even entering the Octagon. While the promotion moves forward with an interim title fight at UFC 324 and Ilia Topuria sits on the real belt, ‘Ahalkalakets’ continues to prove why he belongs at the top of the line. He isn’t tweeting about injustice and hopes it spreads. He’s wrestling, grappling, and using every appearance as a reminder.
This weekend, he went a step further. Arman Tsarukyan stepped up at RAF 5 and defeated Lance Palmer, a four-time NCAA All-American, in one round. A 10-0 technical fall. Clean, dominant, and quick. A performance that raises uncomfortable questions aimed at Ilia Topuria and Dana White.
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Arman Tsarukyan dominates on the mats while UFC politics stay messy
The match was one-way traffic. Arman Tsarukyan got the takedown early, started turning Palmer, and kept stacking points without giving him a chance to reset. Pushouts, pressure, control—then another takedown and a devastating turn to finish it. 10-0. Yes, you read that right. Just a technical fall that made an elite college wrestler look as if he had entered the wrong room.
That’s why the Ilia Topuria talk erupted immediately after. Fans didn’t hesitate to connect this win to the title picture. “There’s a reason Ilia is PETRIFIED of fighting Arman,” one comment read. Another was equally blunt: “People really think Ilia can stop Arman’s wrestling, lmao.”
The performance itself became ammo. “Dominated a 4x NCAA Division All-American in a single round, 10-0. Better than anything Ilia has done on the ground.” The harshest argument landed like a hammer: “This is why Tapturo is ducking Arman Tsarukyan. Arman is gonna ragdoll Topuria unless he leaves UFC.”
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At the same time, many fans vented their frustration toward Dana White and the UFC rather than Topuria. Because the truth is hard to ignore: Arman Tsarukyan is ranked first, continues to win, and is still forced to sit outside as the division does laps around him. “Generational talent being ruined by Dana,” a comment read.
Another described the situation as it is: “And they still deny him a title shot, ridiculous.” One fan summed up the displeasure in a longer punch: “Yet the UFC and the casual fans wanna stop this man from getting his rightfully earned title shot.”
Then came the most chaotic side of all: the MMA Guru angle, because Arman Tsarukyan’s week has been like a fever dream. One night, he’s on Adin Ross’ live stream, tossing around a YouTuber with $20,000 on the line. The next day, he dominates an NCAA wrestler. So, fans just couldn’t stop bringing it up.
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“He was only able to win like this after gaining confidence from beating the current Obeseweight World Champion MMA Guru,” a fan said. Another added, “He just fought MMA Guru last night and got this the next day. Amazing athlete.” And of course: “And people were clowning the MMA guru for not taking this guy down haha.”
‘Ahalkalakets’ has become the UFC’s biggest problem right now. As Arman Tsarukyan constantly directs the conversation back to him. He doesn’t need a promo package or a callout clip; his performances do enough. While Ilia Topuria keeps the belt and Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett compete for an interim one, the Armenian is out there dominating experts in their own realm.
And the longer this continues, the worse it appears. Because the “he needs to do more” excuse will ultimately run out. When you’re 10-0 against NCAA killers and still treated like a backup plan, fans stop asking respectfully. They begin to demand answers—from Dana White and the division’s champion. But what is it that’s stopping the UFC CEO from making the move?
Dana White reveals why the top lightweight contender isn’t fighting for the belt
That’s what continues to frustrate fans. Arman Tsarukyan seems to be the most “ready-now” lightweight in the mix, but he is sitting on the sidelines, watching Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett battle it out for an interim belt while he waits for a booking. Well, Dana White has hinted it isn’t about ability but about trust and whether the UFC believes ‘Ahalkalakets’ can be trusted when the stakes are high.
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When questioned at The Spinnin Backfist MMA Show why the Armenian was not considered for the UFC 324 title fight, the UFC CEO recently provided additional context. He referenced Tsarukyan’s late withdrawal from UFC 311, which pushed him down the pecking order. Even after his stunning victory over Dan Hooker, White has stated that ‘Ahalkalakets’ must fight his way back into the promotion’s good books.
One specific incident also played a role: Tsarukyan headbutting Hooker during their final match. When asked about it, Dana White admitted “100 percent” that it played a role in the decision but added that “a lot of things have factored in.” In short, the UFC is looking at Tsarukyan as a risk management problem rather than a talent problem, which is why he is currently not in contention for the title.
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