Arman Tsarukyan appears to have accepted that he’s not going to get a lightweight title shot against Ilia Topuria next as he’s started to name other potential opponents he’d like to fight next.

“[Topuria] wants to come back in January or February. And I haven’t fought in a long time,” Tsarukyan told Adam Zaubayraev. “So I think I’ll need to fight in October or November. And I talked to the boss yesterday. They said maybe they will set up a fight with someone. In Abu Dhabi or in Qatar… Maybe [Justin] Gaethje, maybe [Dan] Hooker, maybe Paddy [Pimblett].”

Out of that bunch Tsarukyan stated that his preferred option would be Pimblett, after ‘The Baddy’ repeatedly tried to downplay the No.2 Contender’s relevance in the division, while branding him a “spoiled, rich baby.”

The 28-year-old Tsarukyan has had his detractors since he pulled out of a title fight against Islam Makhachev in January due to an injury.

Unfortunately for Tsarukyan, Dana White was one of those unhappy with the call-off, to the extent that he’s been reluctant to put him back into a title fight since, while the current champion Topuria declared not so long ago that he’d rather vacate the belt than give him a shot at it.

It’s harsh on Tsarukyan given that he’s currently on a four-fight winning streak that’s seen him beat the likes of Charles Oliveira and Beniel Dariush, while his overall UFC records stands at a very respectable 9-2.

As such he’s clearly one of the leading fighters in the division, and that’s likely at least part of the reason that other top lightweight talents appear less than eager to go up against him.

At this stage though it feels like it’s time for less talk and more action in terms of the UFC making decisions on who is fighting who and then letting them settle their differences the old fashioned way in the Octagon.