Paddy Pimblett is convinced Arman Tsarukyan was cleared to fight at UFC 311 but opted not to.
Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) withdrew from his main event against UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in January just one day earlier after pulling his back. Makhachev ended up facing Renato Moicano instead and submitted him in Round 1.
Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) went off on Tsarukyan for not competing.
“The only person in the top 10 I can think of who’s under 35 is Arman Tsarukyan,” Pimblett said on the “Full Send Podcast.” “He’s just a little posh boy who’s had everything handed to him on a silver platter by his dad. No (he didn’t get injured), he’s a little b*tch ass. That’s what you are, Arman, little b*tch boy.”
UFC CEO Dana White was not pleased with Tsarukyan’s last-minute pullout and said the No. 1 contender will have to fight his way back to a title shot.
“Dana shot him down in that interview. I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s heavy,'” Pimblett said. “You don’t want the boss saying that about you because he got asked is Arman still No. 1 and he was like, ‘No, he’s going to have to go back to the drawing board.’ … He decided he’s not going to fight. So basically, Arman, you sh*t your pants. You farted and followed through and had sh*t coming down your leg.”
Pimblett will look to emerge as a top lightweight contender when he takes on former title challenger Michael Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) in Saturday’s five-round UFC 314 co-headliner (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at Kaseya Center in Miami.
Tsarukyan fired back at Pimblett and is willing to fight him if he emerges victorious against Chandler.
says the guy who got the easiest path to the top in ufc just because he’s got a funny accent and budget beatles haircut. I dare you to call me out if you win and we will see who will shit his pants in the octagon when we meet clown @PaddyTheBaddy https://t.co/TKbm1hn5X2
— Arman Tsarukyan UFC (@ArmanUfc) April 8, 2025
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.
