UFC legend Matt Brown recently shared his views on Ilia Topuria`s future, particularly focusing on who his next opponent should be. Following his recent victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 – a win where Topuria defeated his third former champion – discussions turned immediately to potential challengers.
Arman Tsarukyan was mentioned by Topuria, but a confrontation with Paddy Pimblett in the octagon post-fight seemed to signal the direction of the lightweight champion`s first title defense. Despite the apparent momentum towards a Topuria vs. Pimblett bout, Brown strongly advocated for Tsarukyan as the deserving next opponent.
“It’s probably going to be Paddy but it should goddamn well be Arman,” Brown stated. While acknowledging that Topuria calling out Pimblett wasn`t necessarily “ducking” Tsarukyan, Brown expressed his personal desire to see the Topuria vs. Tsarukyan matchup next. He believes that defeating Tsarukyan, especially convincingly, would be a more significant achievement for Topuria than beating Charles Oliveira.
Brown was critical of Pimblett`s standing, arguing he hasn`t earned a title shot and doesn`t deserve the opportunity over other contenders like Justin Gaethje or Arman Tsarukyan.
Arman Tsarukyan is widely considered the most deserving contender in the lightweight division based on merit. However, past issues, including withdrawing from a scheduled fight against former champion Islam Makhachev due to injury, have complicated his path, leading UFC CEO Dana White to previously state Tsarukyan needed another win to earn a title shot.
While Brown conceded that Paddy Pimblett would generate more fan interest and viewership due to his popularity, he maintained that a win over Pimblett would not contribute as much to Topuria`s legacy as a victory over Tsarukyan.
In fact, Brown posited that if Topuria could defeat Tsarukyan, adding him to a recent list of high-profile wins including Oliveira, Alexander Volkanovski, and Max Holloway, he would already merit consideration among the sport`s all-time greats.
“Ilia to me is on the verge of we start comparing him to like Jon Jones,” Brown remarked. He believes beating Tsarukyan, or perhaps even Islam Makhachev or Jack Della Maddalena in hypothetical future matchups, would elevate Topuria to discussions of “Jon Jones level greatness.” While acknowledging Pimblett is a tough fighter, Brown feels a win over him, while potentially followed by tougher fights, doesn`t have the immediate historical significance of beating Tsarukyan. Brown even compared Topuria`s current three-fight run to periods in Jon Jones` undefeated career, suggesting Topuria`s recent victories are arguably just as impressive.
Brown noted that even the legendary Jon Jones eventually faced opponents who perhaps weren`t at the absolute peak level of competition, partly due to the talent pool in the light heavyweight division where Jones dominated. The lightweight division, however, is traditionally one of the deepest and most competitive in MMA.
Combining the strength of the lightweight division with Topuria`s wins over two featherweight greats (Volkanovski, Holloway) in title fights, Brown believes Topuria is assembling a resume that stands up even against Jones` early career. He wants to see Topuria continue challenging the very best fighters.
“If he can beat Arman next, that’s a pretty strong seal right there,” Brown emphasized, calling Tsarukyan the fight that makes the most sense for Topuria`s legacy outside of a potential move up in weight or a highly anticipated fight with Makhachev, depending on future outcomes.
From a business standpoint, Brown understands why choosing Pimblett would be appealing – it`s likely a far more lucrative fight with potentially less risk. However, he reiterated his stance that for the sake of Ilia Topuria`s burgeoning legacy and his potential claim as one of the greatest ever, the fight against Arman Tsarukyan is the necessary next step.
“It sounds like it’s probably going to be set with [Paddy Pimblett] and it’s going to be a gigantic fight,” Brown concluded. “I’m going to argue to the end it should be Arman. I want to see that fight. I think if Ilia goes out and beats Arman, it certainly adds to the argument that he is the greatest ever.”
