Surging lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan has vowed to prevail in a future rematch against undisputed champion, Islam Makhachev –…
Surging lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan has vowed to prevail in a future rematch against undisputed champion, Islam Makhachev – claiming a re-run with the Russian would be a “very easy” fight for him, after his viewing of UFC 302.
Tsarukyan, the current number one ranked divisional contender, has been sidelined since April, turning in a close split decision win over former champion and common-foe, Charles Oliveira in the pair’s officially billed title eliminator.
And immediately turning down a UFC 302 title fight with Makhachev on short-notice, Tsarukyan admitted he would lay in wait for his shot at the American kickboxing Academy staple who would go on to headline the same event.
Arman Tsarukyan expects “easy” rematch with Islam Makhachev
And staking his claim for a shot at Makhachev – who admittedly has an eye on a jump to the welterweight class, Tsarukyan claims if the same champion who showed up against Poirier faces off with him in a rematch, he would land the title rather easily.
“It would be a very easy fight for me,” Arman Tsarukyan told MMA Fighting of a rematch with Islam Makhachev. “I could out-wrestle him that fight as well, because he got tired. When you’re tired, you can’t do sh*t. Even if you have the best skills in the world, if you’re tired, you’re done.”
“All his five round fights he got tired as well,” Arman Tsarukyan explained. “He got tired versus (Alexander) Volkanovski, he got tired versus Dustin (Poirier). Hopefully that’s going to be my key to win this fight, because of my cardio.”
Facing off with Makhachev in a short-notice promotional debut back in 2019 in St. Petersburg, Russia – Tsarukyan suffered a unanimous decision defeat to the former.
Who wins in a future lightweight title rematch: Islam Makahchev or Arman Tsarukyan?
Surging lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan has vowed to prevail in a future rematch against undisputed champion, Islam Makhachev –…
Surging lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan has vowed to prevail in a future rematch against undisputed champion, Islam Makhachev – claiming a re-run with the Russian would be a “very easy” fight for him, after his viewing of UFC 302.
Tsarukyan, the current number one ranked divisional contender, has been sidelined since April, turning in a close split decision win over former champion and common-foe, Charles Oliveira in the pair’s officially billed title eliminator.
And immediately turning down a UFC 302 title fight with Makhachev on short-notice, Tsarukyan admitted he would lay in wait for his shot at the American kickboxing Academy staple who would go on to headline the same event.
Arman Tsarukyan expects “easy” rematch with Islam Makhachev
And staking his claim for a shot at Makhachev – who admittedly has an eye on a jump to the welterweight class, Tsarukyan claims if the same champion who showed up against Poirier faces off with him in a rematch, he would land the title rather easily.
“It would be a very easy fight for me,” Arman Tsarukyan told MMA Fighting of a rematch with Islam Makhachev. “I could out-wrestle him that fight as well, because he got tired. When you’re tired, you can’t do sh*t. Even if you have the best skills in the world, if you’re tired, you’re done.”
“All his five round fights he got tired as well,” Arman Tsarukyan explained. “He got tired versus (Alexander) Volkanovski, he got tired versus Dustin (Poirier). Hopefully that’s going to be my key to win this fight, because of my cardio.”
Facing off with Makhachev in a short-notice promotional debut back in 2019 in St. Petersburg, Russia – Tsarukyan suffered a unanimous decision defeat to the former.
Who wins in a future lightweight title rematch: Islam Makahchev or Arman Tsarukyan?
Arman Tsarukyan says Dustin Poirier was mentally broken which is why he gave up in the fifth round against…
Arman Tsarukyan says Dustin Poirier was mentally broken which is why he gave up in the fifth round against Islam Makhachev.
Poirier was headlining UFC 302 against Makhachev for the lightweight title and in the lead-up to the fight, ‘The Diamond’ had said this would be his final shot at becoming the undisputed champion.
Although Poirier had moments in the fight, he ended up getting submitted in the fifth round and Tsarukyan believes ‘The Diamond’ gave up once it got back to the ground in the final round.
“The first round went to Makhachev,” Tsarukyan told Outside MMA (via MMAMania). “I thought, ‘Damn, this Poirier is a complete sack.’ Then I saw that Poirier turned on, and Islam got tired and the fight became more interesting. Dustin Poirier surprised me. To be honest, I was more surprised by Islam, why he got tired so quickly and couldn’t fight.
Arman Tsarukyan feels that Dustin Poirier gave up and was mentally broken late in the fight against Islam Makhachev at #UFC302
"The first round went to Makhachev and I thought 'Damn, this Poirier is a complete sack'…
“As we know, Islam doesn’t breathe that well in five round fights,” he continued. “This is the second five-round fight and he’s giving away the endings. I wonder where Islam found the strength to choke, but I have a feeling that Poirier just gave up. In terms of being mentally broken. There were 2.5 minutes left. Why are you giving up your neck? Well, endure it, get over it, do something, but don’t give up. There are 2.5 minutes left, your last fight, this is the most important and last fight in your life. You take it and just give it away. I wouldn’t just give it up.”
Despite Arman Tsarukyan thinking Dustin Poirier gave up at UFC 302, ‘The Diamond’ put up a much better performance than most thought he would.
Dustin Poirier hints at retirement after UFC 302
Following Dustin Poirier losing by fifth-round submission to Islam Makhachev, ‘The Diamond’ hinted at this being his final fight.
In the lead-up to the bout, Poirier said this could be his final fight and after the result, he wouldn’t confirm it would be it but his last fight, bu says it is something he will think about.
“I mean I know I can compete with the best of these guys. It’s just like if I do fight again, what am I fighting for? Just to fight? I’ve done that 50 times,” Poirier said to Joe Rogan after the fight. “I don’t know, I got a beautiful girl I love and I gotta see. I think this could be it honestly.”
If Poirier does retire after UFC 302 he would end his career with a record of 30-9 and a one No Contest.
Arman Tsarukyan is facing disciplinary action following an altercation with a fan at UFC 300. As ‘Ahalkalakets’ made his…
Arman Tsarukyan is facing disciplinary action following an altercation with a fan at UFC 300.
As ‘Ahalkalakets’ made his way to the Octagon for his main card clash with former lightweight world champion Charles Oliveira at the landmark event in Las Vegas, Tsarukyan engaged in a brief scuffle with a fan in the crowd. Video of the incident quickly made its way online, showing the 155-pound contender throwing a punch at someone seated near the entryway.
From this angle it seems like the fan showed Arman Tsarukyan the middle finger, and Arman wasn’t having any of it
“He showed me ‘F*ck you’ and he wanted to punch me and I wanted to punch him back,” Tsarukyan explained at the post-fight press conference. “That’s it. So guys, no one show me ‘F*ck you.’ It doesn’t matter who you are, I’m going to punch you in the face.”
Unfortunately, it looks like Tsarukyan’s physical retaliation is going to cost him.
Per a report from Damon Martin of MMA Fighting, Tsarukyan’s fight purse was $158,000, of which 20% — or $31,600 — is being withheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission until a full disciplinary hearing can be held in May. In addition to a potential fine, ‘Ahalkalakets’ could also face suspension by the NSAC.
The commission did note that the fan involved in the incident opted not to press charges and has also made it clear that he has no intention of suing the UFC.
Arman Tsarukyan isn’t the only fighter facing disciplinary action following UFC 300
Lopes walked away with $100,000, but $5,000 of that is now being withheld by the NSAC after Lopes hopped over the Octagon wall to greet UFC CEO Dana White — something he was specifically advised not to do.
The NSAC commissioner claims that White permitted Lopes to exit the cage and that the UFC CEO allegedly said, “I will pay his fine.”
The commission will review video evidence of each incident, specifically the incident with Tsarukyan, before levying a decision on both matters.
It’s quite rare that a UFC card will put forward not one, but two title contenders. But on the one-of-a-kind night that was UFC 300, which had high-level matchups from the opening bout to the main event, many potential title matchups were set up.
Coming out of last weekend’s show from Las Vegas, there are a few fighters who seem to have a clear case for a championship bout sometime in the future. Before we finally move on from what is likely the card of the year and arguably an event that can be compared to some of UFC’s best, let’s discuss some names who deserve a chance at gold soon.
Max Holloway
Even heading into last weekend, Max Holloway had a decent argument for a featherweight title fight.
His track record at featherweight has been phenomenal, but simply not enough to get him a chance against the king of the division in recent years. Why? Because the long-time champ, Alexander Volkanovski, beat him three different times since 2019. With a trio of losses to the top name, it was hard to justify another title fight for Holloway. However, when Ilia Topuria stopped Volkanovski earlier this year to become the new champion, things changed.
Now, Holloway is a fighter who has, apart from his losses to one fighter, gone undefeated at featherweight for a decade. Wins over Yair Rodriguez, Calvin Kattar, Arnold Allen, and many others in the weight class. With the stellar record he has over the past few years against quality opponents, he had a solid argument for a fight against Topuria. That’s a pretty good resume, and it’s worth remembering: This was before he had his massive performance at UFC 300.
In retrospect, Saturday night was icing on the cake. Holloway put together an incredible striking performance against lightweight Justin Gaethje. He then finished it off with a career highlight, scoring a last-second walk-off knockout punch to end the fight in viral fashion. The fight turned Holloway not only into a strong contender but also a fighter riding the momentum of a popular performance.
UFC 300 could have been a disaster for Holloway. He might have had a weaker argument for a title fight if he lost, even though the bout was in a different weight class. But luckily he doesn’t have to worry about that anymore. Now he can figure out what, if anything, he needs to do for a title shot.
Some might say that Holloway’s numerous title fight losses to Volkanovski and the fact that he has been in so many wars in the past give him rough odds in a fight against Topuria. There’s no doubt that Topuria will be a tough assignment for him, although it simply is the right fight to make at this moment. Since he is well qualified for a championship chance and is still in a high-level performance part of his career, it feels like the perfect time to give him a chance against Topuria.
Arman Tsarukyan
Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC
Just after Arman Tsarukyan overcame Charles Oliveira in a competitive three-round decision, it looked like he would be a solid next challenge for Islam Makhachev. However, just a few hours later, it became clear that he would actually have to be the next-next challenger. This was because it was announced later in the evening that Dustin Poirier would challenge for Makhachev’s belt at UFC 302.
While Tsarukyan can’t say he’s next in line for a shot, he might be able to make that case in just a couple of month’s time once the lightweight title goes on the line once again. Due to UFC 300 and 302 being close together, it actually works quite well for Tsarukyan, if he is next up for a shot. And he should be, here’s why.
Heading into this weekend, Tsarukyan already had a strong record at lightweight. However, unlike a situation like Max Holloway, he definitely had to do more to justify a fight against Makhachev. He had nine wins at lightweight, and his two losses along the way came with interesting stories. In 2019, he lost to Makhachev, which is a defeat that has aged gracefully. And in 2022 he dropped a decision to Mateusz Gamrot, a five-round result that was highly debated. Just check out this MMADecisions page to see how people felt about that one.
Tsarukyan has lots of wins to discuss as well. He stopped Beneil Dariush in just over a minute, beat Damir Ismagulov on scorecards and finished Joel Alvarez with strikes. His win over Oliveira this weekend—while definitely a close fight—is easily the biggest victory of his career.
It was just months ago that Oliveira was up next for a title shot. After suffering an injury in camp, the former champ was removed from his UFC 294 bout against Makhachev. He hadn’t fought in between that time and last Saturday, meaning his status as a top lightweight near a title opportunity hadn’t faded that much. Tsarukyan took that momentum from him with a narrow win and is arguably one of the best-suited challengers for the belt. That is, at least after Poirier, according to the matchmakers.
Kayla Harrison
Women’s bantamweight isn’t a very populated division, meaning it doesn’t take much for a fighter to climb the rankings. If you have a few strong performances, it’s easy to make a case for a title shot.
Kayla Harrison might only have one UFC fight to her name, but she seems to also have an incredibly strong argument for the title match that she has been incredibly focused on for months — following her outing at UFC 300.
Harrison won her promotional debut in dominant fashion, submitting Holly Holm with a rear naked choke in the second round. Her victory came after a week of questions that called into doubt how she would do: Would Harrison struggle to make bantamweight, a class that she has never gone as low as? Will the weight cut hurt her performance? How will she do against UFC-level talent? By making weight, performing normally in the class and putting together a win that made her look like the far more skilled athlete, it silenced a lot of the critics and put her in a great position in the division.
Harrison’s pre-UFC career must also be considered when weighing whether she should receive a title fight. She is coming over after a 16-fight PFL career, mainly fighting up at the rarely-seen women’s lightweight division. While she never had any huge wins in the PFL, her multi-year dominance in the promotion gave her a reputation that followed into her UFC run.
Harrison was placed fourth in the bantamweight standings this week, putting her below just a few other fighters. The only fighter ranked above her that hasn’t received a title shot in the past is Ketlen Vieira. There’s certainly a case to make that Harrison isn’t the definitive next challenger for the bantamweight belt. However, when you consider that she is a fresh face in the division, had a strong debut against a respected opponent, and has the hype from her successful PFL run, it seems likely that she could get an opportunity for a title soon. And if she does get that chance, it’s hard to argue against it.
UFC 300 Was A Big Night For Making Contenders
Even when looking beyond examples of fighters who could get a title shot immediately, UFC 300 had many bouts that presented talents who could be just one fight away from being in that position.
Take for example former light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochakza, who stopped Aleksandar Rakic in the second round. Or Aljamain Sterling, who bounced back from a title loss and won his featherweight debut. Jessica Andrade might have even gotten a step closer to a rematch against Zhang Weili with her prelim victory over Marina Rodriguez.
It will be interesting to look back on UFC 300 in a few months and see where the winners on this show have gone. Chances are, at least a few will be in title shots, and maybe even one of them will go on to become champion.
Who would you grant a title fight off the back of UFC 300?
Suffering a close, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) loss to Arman Tsarukyan on the main card of UFC 300…
Suffering a close, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) loss to Arman Tsarukyan on the main card of UFC 300 last weekend, former lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira claims he was convinced the Armenian was out cold late into the fight, courtesy of his D’Arce choke.
Oliveira, a former undisputed lightweight titleholder, slumped to number two in the official lightweight pile off the back of his judging loss to Tsarukyan at UFC 300 – with the former replacing him atop the tree at 155 pounds.
Mandatory Credit: Carmen Mandato
Dropping a close, debated decision loss to the American Top Team staple, Oliveira admitted he went very close with a trio of submissions in each of his three rounds against Tsarukyan – struggling with a first round guillotine, a late second frame triangle armbar from his back, and a notable D’Arce choke in the dying embers of the last round.
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
And according to him, Oliveira revealed that as far as he thought, Tsarukyan had been choked unconscious during the D’Arce attempt, with the Armenian contender defending by starfishing and bellying out from the bottom before the klaxon sounded.
Charles Oliveira argues for decision win at UFC 300
“30 seconds [left in the fight], it was tight, one of the submissions I like the most, D’Arce choke,” Charles Oliveira told Canal Encarada during a recent interview. “I thought he (Arman Tsarukyan) went out, that’s why I had my tongue out, joking, you know? But I don’t know, it’s part of the game.”
“I had to finish him,” Charles Oliveira explained. “It went to the judges, and it’s their call, there’s nothing we can do. If you go back tot the first round, you’ll see I tired to finish him more and they scored it for me. The second one was closer and I ended up with a triangle choke locked in, and they gave it to him. The third, he was on top, holding me there, but wasn’t doing Jiu-Jitsu or anything, and I finished with a choke locked in, and they still have it to him. There’s not much we can do.” (H/T MMA Fighting)
Arman Tsarukyan says Dustin Poirier was mentally broken which is why he gave up in the fifth round against…
Arman Tsarukyan is facing disciplinary action following an altercation with a fan at UFC 300. As ‘Ahalkalakets’ made his…
IG / mma_tm 
Three title contenders that came out of UFC 300.
Suffering a close, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) loss to Arman Tsarukyan on the main card of UFC 300…
