“Gifted Opportunities”: Arman Tsarukyan Rips Into Paddy Pimblett and UFC Matchmaking After Gaethje Loss at UFC 324
Arman Tsarukyan has gone on the offensive after UFC 324, accusing Paddy Pimblett and the UFC of manufacturing a title run through “gifted opportunities” following Pimblett’s lopsided loss to Justin Gaethje in Las Vegas. Gaethje defeated Pimblett by unanimous decision over five rounds to claim the interim lightweight belt in the UFC 324 main event at T-Mobile Arena, handing the Liverpudlian his first defeat in 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 happens when you’re gifted opportunities and pushed up the rankings artificially, a completely undeserved title shot for Paddy,” he wrote, adding that Pimblett’s interim chance had not been earned through results. On Threads and other platforms he went further, claiming “Justin definitely has a staph infection” and mocking Pimblett by saying, “This clown couldn’t beat Gaethje on antibiotics,” before congratulating Gaethje for his “heart” and insisting the American would accept a fight 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 durability and conditioning, claiming Pimblett “got knocked out 15 or 20 times” and suggesting Gaethje could have finished him repeatedly but chose to ride out a decision instead.
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 previously booked to challenge then-champion Islam Makhachev before withdrawing with a back injury, then later served as backup for Ilia Topuria’s vacant title fight with Oliveira. When Topuria stepped away from early-2026 competition due to personal and legal issues, the UFC filled the gap with an interim title bout between Gaethje and Pimblett, leaving the top 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 ability to “find a way to win” and even compared his trajectory to Conor McGregor’s, stressing his drawing power heading into the Gaethje fight. That promotional focus is exactly what Tsarukyan calls “fake rankings” and “gifted opportunities.”
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, combined with prior issues around his withdrawal from the Makhachev fight, factored into the decision to pass over him for the interim title slot. That backdrop explains Tsarukyan’s talk of being in the promotion’s “doghouse” even as he sits at the top of the rankings.
