Gridlocked at the lightweight limit off the back of his sensational knockout win over perennial contender, Beneil Dariush at UFC Austin last month, surging contender, Arman Tsarukyan has claimed he would fight his American Top Team teammate, Dustin Poirier, if he meant he earned a title opportunity with a victory.
Tsarukyan, the current number four ranked lightweight contender, most recently headlined UFC Austin back in December, landing a blistering opening round KO win over perennial lightweight challenger, Dariush in the pair’s main event clash in Texas.
As for Poirier, the former interim titleholder has been sidelined since he took headlining honors at UFC 291 back in July in Salt Lake City, suffering a thunderous second round high-kick KO loss to Justin Gaethje in the pair’s symbolic BMF championship rematch.
Arman Tsarukyan welcomes clash with Dustin Poirier
And attempting to squeeze his way into the lightweight title picture after his win over Dariush, Armenian force, Tsarukyan claimed if it would guarantee him his first crack at divisional gold, he would fight his stablemate, Poirier.
“Yes, I would [fight Dustin Poirier[, to be honest,” Arman Tsarukyan told MMA Fighting. “I don’t want to fight with him. He lost last fight. It doesn’t make sense to fight with him. If I beat him, people say, ‘Oh, he just lost last fight. How do you want to fight for the title?’ I need someone who definitely after that fight, I’m going to get the title fight.”
“It’s like, (Justin) Gaethje or (Charles) Oliveira,” Arman Tsarukyan explained. “So, if Oliveira thinks he’s number one, and he’s got a fight, let’s fight and let’s figure out who is number one if he wins, he can go to the title. If I win, I’ll go.”
Who wins in a future clash: Dustin Poirier or Arman Tsarukyan?