Dana White brushed off questions about Arman Tsarukyan’s viral media blitz at the UFC 324 pre-fight press conference, even as debate over the lightweight contender’s title snub intensifies. Asked about Tsarukyan’s recent run of podcast and social media appearances.
White replied, “I haven’t seen it… I don’t know anything about it. Good try though.” Sitting beside him, interim title challenger Paddy Pimblett cut in before White could elaborate, saying Tsarukyan was “trying to be like me, going around eating food,” claiming the Armenian has “no personality” and calling him “a little nit.”
Dana White Won't Budge on Arman Tsarukyan Despite High-Profile Media Push
Tsarukyan has spent the past weeks pushing his name outside the cage, appearing on streams with Adin Ross and other influencers, posting food content, training clips and grappling matches, and using those platforms to hammer Pimblett and the UFC’s matchmaking.
The tension stems from the promotion’s decision to book Justin Gaethje vs. Pimblett for the interim lightweight title in the UFC 324 main event, while Tsarukyan sits as the division’s No. 1 ranked contender. UFC 324 also opens the promotion’s new broadcast era on Paramount+, raising the commercial stakes around who fights for gold on that stage.
From the UFC side, the case against Tsarukyan has less to do with wins and losses and more to do with how the past two years have unfolded. After beating Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in a title eliminator, Tsarukyan was booked to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight belt at UFC 311 but withdrew the day before the event with a back injury suffered during his weight cut. White’s response at the time was blunt: Tsarukyan was “back to the drawing board” and would have to “fight his way back” to a title opportunity. He later weighed in as backup for Ilia Topuria vs. Oliveira at UFC 317 in what was widely read as an attempt to repair that damage.
Regulators and optics have added to the file. The Nevada State Athletic Commission handed Tsarukyan a nine‑month suspension and a $25,000 fine after he swung at a fan who flipped him off during his walk to the cage at UFC 300, with the ban eligible to be reduced only if he completed an approved public service campaign. In November 2025 he then headbutted Dan Hooker during their ceremonial weigh‑in in Qatar, a move that briefly threatened their main-event bout and drew scrutiny from officials. White has since confirmed that the headbutt “100 percent” factored into the decision to keep Tsarukyan out of the interim title fight at UFC 324.
Publicly, White insists there is no personal feud. In multiple interviews he has said the UFC does not “dislike” Tsarukyan, stressing, “He’s here. You know what I didn’t do? Didn’t cut him,” while also stating he does not care about the number next to Tsarukyan’s name in the rankings. At the same time, he has hinted at unresolved issues he will not spell out in front of cameras, saying there is “man sh*t” and “behind-the-scenes” business that Tsarukyan “knows” and that he prefers to keep private because the media will chase clicks.
Tsarukyan has been trying to swing opinion back his way. After Pimblett’s jab at the UFC 324 presser went viral, he fired back on X with a five‑word reply: “Cry me a river bitch @PaddyTheBaddy.” In recent interviews he has also admitted he regrets key moments that helped sour his standing, telling Ariel Helwani he made “real” mistakes with the late UFC 311 withdrawal and the Hooker headbutt, and that those choices still bother him. At the same time, he has argued that Pimblett’s interim shot is driven by business, not merit, saying the UFC wants to make Pimblett a champion while avoiding a matchup where he believes he would stop the Liverpudlian and damage a valuable asset.