Pimblett Ready To Face Arman, Denies Ducking Him

Paddy Pimblett says he is ready to face Arman Tsarukyan if the Ilia Topuria fight does not present itself. 

As he prepares to face Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324 on January 24, Pimblett has made it clear that he isn’t interested in sitting on the sidelines waiting for Topuria. Topuria recently announced an indefinite hiatus to deal with personal issues, but the UFC has no plans to strip him. Pimblett has vowed to defend the interim belt “in a heartbeat” if Topuria isn’t ready by the summer. His primary target is Arman Tsarukyan, the No. 1-ranked contender. While Paddy’s ultimate goal remains Topuria, a win over Gaethje followed by a defense against Tsarukyan would silence any critics. 

“It’s annoying that people are saying I’m ducking Arman — I’ve never been offered to fight Arman. If I was ever offered that fight, I would’ve punched his head in by now. He irritates me. I think he’s an absolute helmet. So yeah, I’d fight Arman in a heartbeat. If Ilia can’t fight until June or July, he should be stripped because he’s holding the division up. I’ll defend against Arman, Max, Charles — whoever. I don’t care,” Pumblett said 

The Approach

Paddy’s tactical approach relies on his high-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and his ability to thrive in scrambles. Paddy often leaves his chin exposed during entries, which he uses it to bait opponents into over-extending. Against Tsarukyan, Paddy would likely welcome being taken down—not because he wants to be on his back, but because he trusts his guard and submission skills. Paddy is master at “teleporting” to an opponent’s back during a scramble. His goal is to turn a wrestling disadvantage into a grappling stalemate where his unorthodox “Scouse” style can find a neck.

Arman’s path to victory lies in “smothering” the scramble. He would likely pin Paddy against the fence to nullify his ability to rotate his hips for submissions. Arman can then deliver ground-and-pound while keeping his neck tucked, effectively killing Paddy’s submission opportunities. On the feet, Arman is a much more technical kicker. He would likely use his body kicks and lead-leg teeps to keep Paddy at a distance, forcing Paddy to be the one to close the distance.