Tsarukyan thinks the
UFC doesn’t necessarily dislike drama from fighters.
Conor
McGregor (22-6) is credited for taking MMA to unforeseen
heights, also becoming the sport’s greatest ever star in the
process. While McGregor is known for his legendary trash talk,
“Notorious” also arguably crossed some boundaries to promote his
fights.
The most notable of McGregor’s build-ups was ahead of his UFC 229
clash against Khabib
Nurmagomedov. The Dubliner threw a dolly at a bus carrying
Nurmagomedov and other fighters at UFC 223 in 2018 at the Barclays
Center in Brooklyn, New York. However, Tsarukyan doesn’t think the
UFC was disappointed with McGregor’s actions. According to
“Ahalkalakets,” it was the drama leading up to the fight that made
McGregor vs. Nurmagomedov the biggest fight in UFC history.
Selling the Drama
“It’s good for the UFC,” Tsarukyan told Patrick Bet-David. “You
think they didn’t like it? They liked it… The sport is getting big
because of drama, not because of fighting. Like Conor, Khabib,
Diaz, the trash talk, everything. Not just fighting, but what’s
going on before the fight. The bus thing went viral too. Because of
that, that fight was the biggest fight in the UFC. If it wasn’t for
the conflict before that, yeah, Conor-Khabib, they talk s—t in the
press conference, they fight, it’s gone.”
McGregor is rumored to return against Max
Holloway at UFC 329
this summer, though nothing has been officially confirmed.
Meanwhile, Tsarukyan (23-3) isn’t shying away from his share of
drama. Tsarukyan was suspended for punching a fan while walking out
for his UFC 300 clash against Charles
Oliveira in 2024. Tsarukyan recently offered to buy Ilia
Topuria’s house, which went up for sale, provided the champion
agreed to fight him.
The UFC Runs on Drama
“The sport is getting big because of drama, not because of
fighting. What’s going on before the fight, the trash talk,
everything.”“I said I’ll buy his house… he put his $3.5 million home for sale
and I said I’ll buy it if you agree to fight me next.” pic.twitter.com/3hHE0ucZ3b— PBD
Podcast (@PBDsPodcast)
April 28, 2026
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