Cheima Moufdil
Arman Tsarukyan remains determined to capture the UFC lightweight title, regardless of whether it requires defeating current champion Ilia Topuria.
Six months ago, Tsarukyan was set to challenge then-champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 311, but a back injury forced him to withdraw a day before the fight. Since then, Makhachev has moved up to welterweight, Topuria claimed the vacant belt by knocking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, and Tsarukyan’s path to a title shot remains uncertain.
Topuria recently dismissed the idea of fighting Tsarukyan, saying during a live stream with the Nelk Boys that he would “never give [Tsarukyan] a chance,” and even suggested the UFC should “take my belt” if Tsarukyan isn’t forced to re-earn his contender status.
Tsarukyan fired back on Twitter:?“Imagine calling yourself a champion, but you’re already looking for a way out. You can vacate it or I’ll take it. Either way, it’s mine.”
The lightweight title picture is crowded. Paddy Pimblett’s rivalry with Topuria appears to have put him in pole position for the next title shot, while veteran Justin Gaethje has been campaigning for another chance at the belt. Meanwhile, UFC CEO Dana White has stated that Tsarukyan must “fight his way back” to earn a championship opportunity after withdrawing from the Makhachev bout.
Tsarukyan’s résumé includes 11 UFC appearances with just two losses — his 2019 debut against Makhachev and a 2022 Fight of the Night war with Mateusz Gamrot. His victories over Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush, Damir Ismagulov, Joel Alvarez, and Olivier Aubin-Mercier highlight his credentials, but the question remains: who does Tsarukyan need to beat to secure the title shot he believes is already his?