Usman Nurmagomedov hails Arman Tsarukyan as one of the best in the world

Amid their ongoing feud, Usman Nurmagomedov has hailed Arman Tsarukyan as one of the best in the world.

At UFC 331, Tsarukyan needed to deliver a standout performance to earn both the lightweight champion’s and the company’s attention, and that he did. A first-round elbow knockout of Mauricio Ruffy meant the Armenian can no longer be denied; he has to be the number one contender. However, MMA prodigy Usman Nurmagomedov wasn’t too impressed.

Believing you have to switch up your skills to be the best in the world, Nurmagomedov insisted that Tsarukyan just did what any high-level fighter does, saying:

“It was a decent performance. Pretty decent overall. Well, this is MMA. That’s the way it works, you know. If something doesn’t work, you have to be able to adjust, switch onto something different. Of course, everybody expected him to take [Ruffy] down, hold him there, control and win the fight in that manner, but you should never rule out that your opponent can finish you on the feet.”

Despite the critical comments, Usman Nurmagomedov does consider Arman Tsarukyan one of the world’s elite.

“Arman is one of the best fighters in the world, and writing him off in terms of his striking ability would be a huge mistake by any fighter,” Nurmagomedov added.

Rumors are heating up regarding a potential future clash between Nurmagomedov and Tsarukyan. While keeping quiet on his future, the former Bellator and PFL world champion announced his interest in the matchup.

“Well, people need something to discuss,” Nurmagomedov continued. “And there’s no smoke without fire… Arman knows my true level; he just doesn’t want to admit it. When the cage is closed, when our time comes, we will talk.”

Listen to Usman Nurmagomedov discuss all things Arman Tsarukyan and much more in the video below.