Pimblett dismisses Tsarukyan's title shot claim ahead of UFC 329 co-main

Paddy Pimblett has thrown cold water on Arman Tsarukyan’s lightweight title ambitions, telling reporters at UFC 329 media day that the Armenian fighter has not done nearly enough inside the Octagon to justify a shot at champion Justin Gaethje.

Speaking ahead of his co-main event bout against Benoit St. Denis at UFC 329, Pimblett was blunt when asked about Tsarukyan’s title case. “He needs to fight,” Pimblett said. “He’s had like one fight in three years, and he beat an absolute bum. He needs to actually fight. Not go around in a singlet tickling people.”

Tsarukyan’s last Octagon appearance came against Dan Hooker in November of last year — a result Pimblett clearly does not rate. In the intervening months, Tsarukyan has been competing in RAF wrestling events rather than MMA bouts, a stretch of inactivity that has drawn Pimblett’s criticism. “[Fight] anyone. Just fight someone,” Pimblett added. “Get in the Octagon and actually fight. Stop going around on your private jet eating food.”

Tsarukyan has been publicly campaigning for a title shot for some time, but Gaethje — who is coming off wins over both Pimblett and Ilia Topuria — has shown little interest in the matchup, with the champion apparently focused on higher-profile opponents.

Pimblett’s comments carry a degree of self-interest, given that a strong performance against St. Denis at UFC 329 would bolster his own position in the lightweight rankings. Still, his broader point about Tsarukyan’s ring rust and limited recent output reflects a wider debate within the division about who genuinely deserves to be next in line behind Gaethje.

Whether Tsarukyan responds by booking an imminent return to competition remains to be seen, but Pimblett has made clear he does not consider the current situation a compelling title shot résumé.