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Arman Tsarukyan Targets Paddy Pimblett Fight Amid UFC Return This Summer 5y1lq
Cai is a news and features writer that specialises in football, but has experience covering a variety of other sports, including darts, basketball, American football, MMA, boxing and more. He holds a degree in Football Journalism (BA Hons) from the University of Derby, and worked with Nottingham Forest FC and Burton Albion FC throughout his studies. Cai also has experience working in social media with the Football Association of Wales, where he worked on a freelance basis, and has also been an accredited writer in the JD Cymru Premier for both Y Clwb Pêl-Droed and welshfootie since the 2019/20 season.
Get to know Cai Parry betterPublished23 May 2025
Arman Tsarukyan has revealed that he’d accept a fight against Paddy Pimblett as he eyes his long-awaited return to the UFC Octagon this summer.
It’s been over a year since Arman Tsarukyan took to the Octagon, having withdrawn from his UFC Lightweight Championship fight with Islam Makhachev in January, but the Armenian is eyeing a return this summer.
Tsarukyan was removed from the UFC 311 card the day before the event after it was revealed that he’d suffered a back injury in the leadup to the fight, with Renato Moicano being draughted in to fight Makhachev in his place.
The 28-year-old is targeting his comeback in the coming months, and a potential opponent awaiting him is popular British star Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett, who Tsarukyan said he’d accept a fight against.
Pimblett remains undefeated in the UFC and is fresh off the back of a ‘Performance of the Night’ TKO victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 314 last month.
Arman Tsarukyan Says He’d Accept Paddy Pimblett Fight 654h2t
Speaking to Red Corner MMA, Tsarukyan was asked about the prospect of fighting Pimblett, to which he responded: “Paddy, he looked very good in his last fight, and now we can say he can beat top 10 fighters, number eight or something.
“Maybe he wants to fight at the end of this year, but I want to fight this summer and at the end of this year.
“I’ll take that [the fight this summer] because he has a big name. He just beat Michael Chandler, and he has a six or seven [fight] win streak. He’s never lost in the UFC. It makes sense to get back and to get more fans from the UK.”
Arman Tsarukyan is down to fight Paddy Pimblett next 👀
“I’ll take that because he has a big name… it makes sense. To get more fans from the UK.”
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 22, 2025
Pimblett Says Tsarukyan ‘S*** His Pants’ After UFC 311 Withdrawal 5u5z4d
Pimblett, on the other hand, hasn’t quite been as complimentary towards Tsarukyan.
The Liverpool-born fighter discussed Akhalkalakets’ withdrawal from his UFC 311 title fight against Makhachev on the Full Send Podcast, stating: “Dana shot him down in that interview. I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s heavy.’
“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.”
Whether a bout comes to fruition in the near future remains to be seen, but Tsarukyan has made his intentions clear.
Meanwhile, Pimblett’s next fight options also include the likes of Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria, as he resides in eighth place in the lightweight division rankings following his recent triumph.