TLDR
- Paddy Pimblett praised Arman Tsarukyan’s knockout elbow at UFC 331 but criticized the rest of his performance
- Pimblett questioned Tsarukyan’s wrestling credentials after he failed to take down Mauricio Ruffy
- The Liverpool fighter maintains he would beat Tsarukyan despite the impressive first-round knockout
- Pimblett believes a rematch between Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria could delay Tsarukyan’s title shot
- The two lightweight contenders have feuded for years but have never faced each other in the octagon
Sources: mmafighting.com | sherdog.com
Paddy Pimblett gave Arman Tsarukyan credit for his knockout victory at UFC 331, but the Liverpool fighter says he wasn’t impressed with much else from the performance.
Tsarukyan knocked out Mauricio Ruffy with a brutal elbow in the co-main event on Saturday in Los Angeles. The first-round finish earned Tsarukyan a Performance of the Night bonus and moved him closer to a lightweight title shot.
Pimblett acknowledged the quality of the finish on his YouTube channel. “That was lovely. That was lovely, Arman,” Pimblett said. “That was a nasty elbow, lad. Gotta give him his due. As much as I don’t like him, that was a naughty elbow.”
However, Pimblett quickly turned critical of the rest of Tsarukyan’s performance. He said Tsarukyan looked poor until the finishing sequence and sustained damage from Ruffy’s striking.
“I thought he looked pretty shit up until the point of the elbow,” Pimblett said. “His eye’s messed up already. I wish he never landed that, just to see how the second and third would have went.”
Paddy Pimblett on Arman Tsarukyan's win over Mauricio Ruffy:
"That was a statement, that…I'd still punch his head in though!
"I think that showed holes in his game. His wrestling isn’t as good as people think." pic.twitter.com/2rzwOZ6vzu
— Fighters Only (@FightersOnly) September 21, 2026
Pimblett Questions Tsarukyan’s Wrestling Credentials
The lightweight contender focused much of his criticism on Tsarukyan’s wrestling, which is widely considered one of his strongest skills. Pimblett noted that Tsarukyan failed to take Ruffy down during the fight.
“Everyone goes on like Arman’s got the best wrestling in the UFC, and he showed there that he hasn’t whatsoever,” Pimblett said. “I think that showed holes in his game. His wrestling’s not as good as he thinks it is.”
Pimblett pointed out that Ruffy hasn’t shown strong takedown defense in recent years. He suggested the inability to ground Ruffy reveals weaknesses in Tsarukyan’s grappling game.
The two fighters have maintained a feud for years, mostly centered around their positions in the lightweight division. Despite their rivalry, they have never faced each other inside the octagon.
Pimblett maintained his confidence that he would beat Tsarukyan in a potential matchup. “I’d still punch his head in, though,” he said.
Title Picture Remains Unclear
Tsarukyan appears to be next in line for a lightweight title shot after his victory over the seventh-ranked Ruffy. However, Pimblett believes the title picture could change.
Current lightweight champion Justin Gaethje recently defended his title against featherweight champion Ilia Topuria. Some discussion has emerged about a potential rematch between those two fighters.
“With all the stuff coming out now with Ilia and Justin, it wouldn’t surprise me if they end up fighting and having a rematch,” Pimblett said. “Ilia’s trying to say that he had stuff in his gloves, which he definitely never.”
Pimblett called Topuria “a sore loser” and “a little bitch” for the accusations. He said the commission watches fighters get their hands wrapped, making cheating impossible.
The Liverpool fighter also questioned whether Tsarukyan’s recent wins justify a title shot. Before defeating Ruffy, Tsarukyan’s last victory came against Dan Hooker, who was ranked sixth at the time.
“Obviously, Arman just put himself forward to be the No. 1 contender there, but at the same time, he did only beat rank 7,” Pimblett said. “His last win before that was Dan Hooker, who was rank 6 and now about rank 13.”
Tsarukyan improved his record to 24-3 with the knockout victory. Ruffy dropped to 14-3 after suffering his first UFC loss.
