Arman Tsarukyan dropped a candid take on Khamzat Chimaev’s personality during a recent podcast appearance. He described how Chimaev flips from one extreme to another in short time. Fans picked up on the clip right away, sparking talk across MMA circles.
Tsarukyan sat down on the PBD Podcast, hosted by Patrick Bet-David, in late April 2026. The episode, titled “UFC Title Snub, Dana White Beef & Fighting for Armenia,” ran over two hours. He covered his career path, disputes with UFC brass, and ties to fellow fighters like Chimaev.
Khamzat Chimaev Can Be the Funniest Guy Ever… or the Scariest According to Arman Tsarukyan
When the host asked about Chimaev off-camera, Tsarukyan laid it out plain. “Khamzat can be the funniest guy ever, and in one hour he can be the scariest guy ever,” he said. “He can change his mood so fast. One day you can’t even talk to him, and the other day he doesn’t stop talking for 3-4 hours.”
He admitted his own moods swing the same way at times. Friends pointed it out to him, funny one moment, shut down the next. Tsarukyan figured it comes with the fighter life, the grind of camps and weight cuts. Chimaev and Tsarukyan train in overlapping circles, often sharing social media posts that show them joking around. Their bond goes deeper; Tsarukyan cornered Chimaev for his middleweight title win over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 in August 2025. Chimaev holds a perfect 15-0 record, with finishes over Robert Whittaker and Kamaru Usman in recent years.
Tsarukyan carries a 23-3 mark in lightweight, fresh off a submission win against Dan Hooker in November 2025. That arm-triangle choke in round two capped a strong run, including decisions over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 and a knockout of Beneil Dariush.
Chimaev’s shifts tie back to past struggles. Health issues hit him hard, immune problems forced fight pullouts and camp overhauls. He spoke about depression in 2024, linking it to poor nutrition and setbacks. Fatherhood and a new team with doctors and nutritionists steadied him; he noted calmer vibes ahead of bouts like UFC 308.
The comment landed amid Chimaev’s middleweight reign and Tsarukyan’s lightweight push. Both wrestlers from tough backgrounds, Tsarukyan Armenian roots, Chimaev Chechen, they scrap in gyms and back each other publicly. Clips spread fast on X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Khamzat Chimaev defends his UFC middleweight title against Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 328 on May 9, 2026, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Chimaev enters at 15-0, riding finishes over Dricus du Plessis, Robert Whittaker, and Kamaru Usman, while Strickland, 30-7, eyes a second reign after wins against Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov. The matchup pits Chimaev’s wrestling against Strickland’s jab-heavy boxing.
