Arman Tsarukyan has gone on the offensive after UFC 324, accusing Paddy Pimblett and the UFC of producing a title run by “gifted alternatives” following Pimblett’s lopsided loss to Justin Gaethje in Las Vegas. Gaethje defeated Pimblett by unanimous determination over 5 rounds to say the interim light-weight belt within the UFC 324 main event at T-Cellular Area, handing the Liverpudlian his first defeat within the promotion.
“Fake Rankings”: Arman Tsarukyan Tears Into UFC for Elevating Paddy Pimblett After UFC 324
Gaethje dropped Pimblett several times and outworked him on the scorecards, winning 48-47, 49-46, 49-46. Official stats show Gaethje landing 200 total strikes to Pimblett’s 170, including 144 significant strikes and three successful takedowns, while Pimblett went 0-for-5 on his own takedown attempts. UFC president Dana White later said Pimblett’s approach of standing and trading with Gaethje instead of leaning on his grappling was a poor game plan, even while praising his toughness and confirming he was sent to hospital for precautionary checks after the damage he absorbed.
Tsarukyan, the division’s No. 1-ranked contender, fired his first shot on X. “That’s what occurs if you’re gifted alternatives and pushed up the rankings artificially, a totally undeserved title shot for Paddy,” he wrote, including that Pimblett’s interim likelihood had not been earned through results. On Threads and different platforms he went additional, claiming “Justin positively has a staph an infection” and mocking Pimblett by saying, “This clown couldn’t beat Gaethje on antibiotics,” earlier than congratulating Gaethje for his “coronary heart” and insisting the American would settle for a struggle with him.
The outburst is the latest chapter in a simmering feud. In post-fight media after UFC 324, Tsarukyan labelled Pimblett “a trash can” and argued that Pimblett is “not a top fighter,” saying Gaethje would not have been as successful against himself or champion Ilia Topuria. He questioned Pimblett’s sturdiness and conditioning, claiming Pimblett “bought knocked out 15 or 20 instances” and suggesting Gaethje may have completed him repeatedly however selected to trip out a call as an alternative.
Beneath the insults sits a genuine grievance about matchmaking. Tsarukyan is 23-3 and riding a strong run that includes a submission win over Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar after a split decision victory over former champion Charles Oliveira in 2024. He was beforehand booked to problem then-champion Islam Makhachev earlier than withdrawing with a again damage, then later served as backup for Ilia Topuria’s vacant title struggle with Oliveira. When Topuria stepped away from early-2026 competitors on account of private and authorized points, the UFC crammed the hole with an interim title bout between Gaethje and Pimblett, leaving the highest contender on the sidelines.
From Tsarukyan’s perspective, Pimblett jumped the queue on name value. Pimblett entered UFC 324 ranked fifth at lightweight, unbeaten in seven UFC bouts and coming off a stoppage win over Michael Chandler that boosted his profile. White had repeatedly highlighted Pimblett’s capacity to “discover a solution to win” and even in contrast his trajectory to Conor McGregor’s, stressing his drawing energy heading into the Gaethje struggle. That promotional focus is precisely what Tsarukyan calls “pretend rankings” and “gifted alternatives.”
There is also clear evidence the UFC has cooled on Tsarukyan. His headbutt on Hooker at the UFC Qatar ceremonial weigh-in drew criticism, and White later confirmed that incident, mixed with prior points round his withdrawal from the Makhachev struggle, factored into the choice to move over him for the interim title slot. That backdrop explains Tsarukyan’s speak of being within the promotion’s “doghouse” whilst he sits on the high of the rankings.
