Michael Bisping: Arman Tsarukyan wasn't snubbed of interim title fight

With lightweight champion Ilia Topuria taking time off, Michael Bisping thinks the UFC made the right title fight at UFC 324.

The promotion's new era with Paramount/CBS will kick off with an interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje (26-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) and Paddy Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC), which headlines the Jan. 24 event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).

The announcement left Arman Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) baffled after he ran through Dan Hooker this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 265 in Qatar. Tsarukyan was slated to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 311, but withdrew on weigh-in day due to a back injury.

"Do you think Arman Tsarukyan should have got it? I don't," Bisping said on his YouTube channel. "Paddy and Justin have been right there for a little bit, Arman was kind of out on the sidelines."

Pimblett hasn't competed since dominating the skidding Michael Chandler at UFC 314. Meanwhile, Gaethje is coming off a win over short-notice replacement Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313, and has won three of his past four.

"I did think Paddy was kind of the frontrunner," Bisping said. "Certainly after he stepped into the octagon when Ilia Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira. They had that back-and-forth, Ilia had both belts on, pushes Paddy, it was a bit of an awkward moment. That fight looked destined to happen. I hope they fight down the line because there's certainly a storyline built in, but this is a very, very tough and competitive matchup. Now Justin Gaethje is no spring chicken. I think he's 36 (37), but you know what you're going to get with Justin Gaethje. Yes, of course, against Max Holloway at UFC 300 he got knocked out, he got embarrassed, he got face planted.

"It was a shocking scene, but that's not what normally happens with Justin Gaethje. He is one of the most exciting fighters. He's got great wrestling, got the boxing, the striking, the leg kicks, the punch power. I'm telling you, this man is no joke, and neither is Paddy Pimblett. We saw last time against Michael Chandler, he is the real deal. He absolutely smoked him, he's undefeated in the UFC, put a beating on Michael Chandler. Let's remember, Chandler went toe-to-toe with Gaethje, gave Dustin Poirier a good run, knocked out Dan Hooker so, it's not like he's a bum. Yes, he hasn't been winning fights but Paddy made it look different. He beat the living hell out of him."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Michael Bisping: Arman Tsarukyan not snubbed of UFC 324 interim fight