Surging number one ranked lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan has claimed that talks have been held regarding a potential end-of-year rematch with undisputed champion, Islam Makhachev — with the two failing to land on an October UFC 308 card to battle once more.
Tsarukyan, the current number one ranked divisional contender, most recently featured on the main card of UFC 300 back in April, landing a controversial split decision win over former undisputed champion, Charles Oliveira over the course of three rounds.
Earning himself a title rematch with Makhachev off the back of his win, Armenian contender, Tsarukyan saw a targeted rematch with the former ruled from a UFC 308 card in Abu Dhabi, UAE later this annum — with the Russian dealing with an unspecified arm injury.
Arman Tsarukyan reveals potential December rematch with Islam Makhachev
However, according to Tsarukyan — who has been linked with an interim title fight against the above-mentioned, Oliveira as well as former champion, Dustin Poirier if Makhachev remained sidelined, a potential rematch with the undisputed champion has been floated for December.
“The fight [with Islam Makhachev] had to happen in October,” Arman Tsarukyan told Ushatayka’s Islam Babadzhanov, during a recent interview. “But it was rescheduled, now we have talks about December.”
“It depends on when he can return,” Arman Tsarukyan said of the chances he would take an interim lightweight title fight next. “If he can’t compete by Spring, I think they [the UFC] will make a fight for an interim title.
Sidelined since he took main event honors at UFC 302 back in May in Newark, New Jersey, pound-for-pound number one, Makhachev most recently took on Tsarukyan’s American Top Team stablemate, Dustin Poirier.
Successfully defending his undisputed title for the third time since February of last year, Makhachev turned in a fifth round D’Arce choke submission win over the Louisiana veteran in the pair’s main event title showdown.