Former UFC champ Sean O’Malley says Arman Tsarukyan is becoming a star outside the promotion

Alexandr Ormanji April 2, 2026, 10:56 a.m.

Sean O’Malley, the former UFC bantamweight champion, shared his thoughts on UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan.

Sean O’Malley believes Arman Tsarukyan is building a rare kind of reputation — one that extends beyond what he does inside the UFC cage.

Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast, O’Malley called the top-ranked lightweight “a real gangster” and said Tsarukyan is turning into a standout figure in a way the sport does not often see.

“Arman is a real gangster. He’s becoming a legend — we haven’t seen anything like this before. The guy fights in the UFC, but at the same time he keeps growing and becoming an even bigger superstar because of what he’s doing outside the UFC.

Arman wants to fight, but they’re just not giving him fights. He’s becoming a legend outside the UFC, and that’s cool as hell to see — it’s interesting to watch,” the American said.

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