UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan shared his tactical thoughts on a potential super-fight between Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. Following his dominant first-round knockout victory against Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331, Tsarukyan spoke with Helwani to break down the lightweight division. When asked about the rumored matchup between the two stars, the Armenian fighter admitted that choosing a definitive winner is an incredibly tough task.
Tsarukyan officially labeled the potential clash as a dead-even, 50/50 fight that could easily go either way depending on how the early rounds play out. “Either Ilia is gonna look super good and knock out Paddy, or he's gonna lose to him because Paddy has a good chin and good cardio,” Tsarukyan stated during the interview. He explained that while Topuria possesses elite, dangerous knockout power, Pimblett’s notorious durability and non-stop pace make him a massive problem to solve in a five-round fight.
The top-ranked contender also noted that Topuria's psychological state coming off a heavy defeat could ultimately dictate the outcome. Tsarukyan suggested that the loss might serve as a major turning point for the former champion's career. “Maybe Ilia is gonna be more motivated, more hungry, locked in and become way better than he was before,” Tsarukyan told Helwani, leaving the door wide open for a highly competitive tactical battle.
