Arman Tsarukyan vs. The World: Is a Conor McGregor “Nightmare” a Better Bet Than a Title Shot?

Arman Tsarukyan just put Dan Hooker away in Qatar, and he did it with the kind of swagger that screams “I’m the guy.” A slick arm-triangle submission, a dominant performance from bell to bell, and one simple, undeniable statement: he’s the number one contender for the lightweight strap. You could practically feel his confidence radiating through the screen as he stood in the cage, pointing to the imaginary championship belt around his waist, trying to catch the eye of UFC executive Hunter Campbell.

But here’s the thing about the fight game: being the next in line doesn’t always mean you’re actually next. And when the MMA world is buzzing with Ilia Topuria’s meteoric rise to stardom and Conor McGregor’s latest “I’m back” proclamations, even the most pristine record can get drowned out by the noise. Still, Tsarukyan isn’t sweating it. He knows he’s done the work. The timing feels right. The UFC, however? They’re playing it cool, leaving him in a state of limbo that led to a hilariously candid chat with Daniel Cormier.

What’s Next for Arman Tsarukyan?

Speaking to the former two-division champ on his YouTube channel, Tsarukyan was asked if the UFC had given him the nod for the next title shot. With a laugh and a shake of his head, Tsarukyan admitted, “I haven’t… I didn’t talk to them yet.” He recounted the post-fight moment with Hunter Campbell, where his championship gesture was met with a vague, “Yeah, we’ll think about that.”

What more could a guy possibly do? Tsarukyan joked about the absurdity of it all. “Maybe beat a couple more contenders,” he quipped sarcastically, “or maybe they’re going to bring someone from Japan, some debut guy and I got to beat him like Pantoja did.” It was a clear, snarky jab at flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja‘s recent title defense against Kai Asakura at UFC 310.

When Cormier pressed him on whether he’d take another fight before a title shot, Tsarukyan’s answer was instant and firm: “No way.” Then, a smirk crept across his face as he added the only exception to his rule. “If it’s not Conor McGregor, I wouldn’t fight.”

A “Nightmare” for Conor McGregor

Cormier, ever the instigator, brought up Conor McGregor’s recent bizarre claims of a “spiritual journey” and divine visions signaling his return. Tsarukyan’s response was pure, unadulterated confidence. “He’ll never fight me, and the UFC will never let me fight Conor McGregor. It’s a nightmare for him.” The line was delivered with a perfect blend of seriousness and humor, a knockout punchline from a man who knows his worth.

Let’s be real, Arman Tsarukyan gets how this circus works. McGregor is supposedly angling for a headline spot at a White House event. Ilia Topuria is busy calling out everyone from Islam Makhachev to Paddy Pimblett. The lightweight division is a chaotic mess of callouts and what-ifs. But in Daniel Cormier’s eyes, the path forward is crystal clear, and it leads directly to Tsarukyan.

Why Daniel Cormier Thinks Tsarukyan is the Only Choice

While the MMA world debates the merits of a Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria showdown, Daniel Cormier is cutting through the noise. On a recent episode of the Good Guy/Bad Guy show, he made his case. With Islam Makhachev now at welterweight, the two best lightweights on the planet aren’t Topuria and Pimblett. According to DC, they’re Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan.

“I think Paddy Pimblett’s fun, I think Paddy Pimblett has a bright future in fighting,” Cormier explained, “but I believe that the two best lightweights in the world… are Arman Tsarukyan and Ilia Topuria, and that’s not even a question anymore.”

What changed the equation? Tsarukyan’s absolute demolition of Dan Hooker. Cormier acknowledged Paddy’s star power but was blunt about the matchup. A win over Michael Chandler, in his view, doesn’t justify a title shot against Topuria. Tsarukyan’s recent clinic, on the other hand, absolutely does.

Cormier broke it down with the analytical mind of a coach. “He can do just about everything, and his top control is what’s a real issue… That’s the scary thought for anyone that are Ilia Topuria fans because if there’s anyone that can replicate that game of Makhachev… it’s Arman Tsarukyan.”

Between Tsarukyan’s unshakeable self-belief and Cormier’s emphatic endorsement, the message is clear: there are two apex predators at the top of the lightweight food chain, and Arman Tsarukyan is one of them. His jokes about fighting debutantes or being McGregor’s worst nightmare aren’t just empty words. They’re the confident taunts of a fighter who knows he belongs at the top, even if the UFC’s matchmaking department is still trying to figure that out.