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UFC contender Arman Tsarukyan ‘choked out’ alligator during South Florida fishing trip: ‘I got a license to kill’

UFC contender Arman Tsarukyan 'Choked Out' alligator during South Florida fishing trip: 'I got a license to kill' Ahead of his first shot at UFC gold, Arman Tsarukyan put his submission skills to the test against an…

Ahead of his first shot at UFC gold, Arman Tsarukyan put his submission skills to the test against an alligator during a fishing trip to the Everglades.

After scoring a big split decision victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in April, ‘Ahalkalakets’ slid into the No. 1 spot in the lightweight rankings, putting him in pole position for a shot at the division’s reigning champion, Islam Makhachev.

Until then, Tsarukyan is out here in South Florida picking off gators.

Adding some context to the above image (originally shared on his Instagram), Tsarukyan revealed that he had literally “choked out” the alligator after trapping it with nothing more than a hook in the river.

“I choked him out,” Tsarukyan told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I pulled him out from the river, choked him, and put him on my back. In Florida, I got a license to kill the alligator. You throw the hook in the river, the alligator got the hook and you got to pull it. We pulled two. Me and my friend we pulled one alligator. He was like seven or eight feet, but there is 12 feet, 13 feet alligators and hopefully, he was small. Maybe 50-70 pounds.

“Catch it without meat or anything. Just hook, empty hook. I kill a lot of animals, but I didn’t post it because other animals, it’s sad, but alligators, it’s okay” (h/t BJPenn.com).

Arman Tsarukyan Eyeing Fall 2024 for Islam Makhachev rematch

Including his win over ‘Do Bronx’ at the promotion’s landmark event, Arman Tsarukyan finds himself on a four-fight win streak kickstarted by a victory over Damir Ismagulov in December 2022. He followed that up with a pair of W’s against Joaquim Silva and Beneil Dariush before taking out the former 155-pound champ.

Tsarukyan has only lost twice inside the Octagon, one of those defeats coming during his promotional debut at the hands of Islam Makhachev. Five years later, it looks like the two will tussle one more time with Tsarukyan fighting for both legacy and redemption.

As of now, there is no announced date for the long-awaited rematch, but Tsarukyan told Helwani that it’ll either be October in Abu Dhabi, or November in New York.

Arman Tsarukyan vows to land win over Islam Makhachev in title rematch: ‘It would be a very easy fight for me’

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.

Successfully defending his divisional title for the third time, Makhachev wrapped up an eventual fifth round D’Arce choke win Dustin Poirier – with fellow American Top Team ace, Tsarukyan claiming his stablemate simply “gave up” in his title fight defeat.

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 vows to land win over Islam Makhachev in title rematch: ‘It would be a very easy fight for me’

Surging lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan has vowed to prevail in a future rematch against undisputed champion, Islam Makhachev –…

Arman Tsarukyan expects “easy” rematch with Islam Makhachev

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?

Dustin Poirier reveals nasty injury list after UFC 302 fight loss: ‘Broken nose, broken ribs and my ACL is torn’

Former interim lightweight titleholder, Dustin Poirier has revealed a nasty list of injuries suffered in his title fight loss…

Former interim lightweight titleholder, Dustin Poirier has revealed a nasty list of injuries suffered in his title fight loss to Islam Makhachev over the course of last weekend at UFC 302 – including a fractured nose and a partially torn ACL.

Poirier, the current number four ranked divisional contender, headlined UFC 302 over the course of last weekend in New Jersey, attempting to land the undisputed crown in a championship challenge against pound-for-pound best, Makhachev.

Turning in a competitive display and valiant effort against the Russian, former interim champion, Poirier was eventually forced to tap in the fifth and final round against the former, dropping a D’Arce choke submission, before eventually going unconscious himself.

And this week, Poirier’s close friend, former UFC lightweight star, Yves Edwards revealed the Lafayette native had suffered a debilitating rib injury just two weeks from his title charge against Makhachev, limiting his ability to grapple or wrestle in the final stages of his training camp.

Dustin Poirier reveals sizeable injury list after UFC 302

On social media today, Poirier revealed he suffered a fractured nose in his fight with Makhachev, and amid speculation, confirmed he had partially torn his ACL – before confirming an inadvertent headbutt from Makhachev shattered his nose.

Arman Tsarukyan accuses Dustin Poirier of giving up in title loss to Islam Makhachev I wouldn't give up like that

“Nose is broken bad, rib is broken and my ACL is partially torn,” Dustin Poirier posted on his official X account. “FIGHT LIFE”

“Knee hit my face,” Dustin Poirier replied to a fan who questioned how he had fractured his nose. “It was the headbutt before. It was accidental, but it hurt.”

Knee hit my face. It was the headbutt before. It was accidental, but it hurt https://t.co/WhAJwfKZhw

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) June 5, 2024

Weighing up his immediate future in the aftermath of his loss, Poirier admitted that he had likely made his final walk after a storied and fan-favorite combat sports career.

Do you think Dustin Poirier will make a return to the Octagon?

UFC welterweight champ Leon Edwards eyes move to 185 in pursuit of two-division glory by the ‘end of next year’

Leon Edwards plans on adding more UFC gold to his collection. After landing “the kick heard ’round the world”…

Leon Edwards plans on adding more UFC gold to his collection.

After landing “the kick heard ’round the world” at UFC 278, ‘Rocky’ has successfully defended his welterweight world title twice, securing unanimous decision wins against former champion Kamaru Usman and three-time title challenger Colby Covington. On Saturday, July 27, he’ll step inside the Octagon for defense number three when he meets the division’s No. 1 ranked contender, Belal Muhammad, at UFC 304 in Manchester.

Though Edwards is not the kind of fighter to look past any of his opponents — even as a 2-to-1 favorite — that doesn’t mean the UK fan favorite isn’t already making some big plans for his future.

During a recent interview with Sky Sports, ‘Rocky’ revealed plans to move up to middleweight in hopes of obtaining the ever-elusive champ-champ status.

“My excitement is me getting another belt,” Edwards said. “My plan was to go next year. Defend my belt twice this year, that will be four defenses. Maybe one more [defense] next year, that’s five defenses. Then later on in the year, have a big middleweight fight. That’s six title fights… That is my goal. Two [defenses] this year, one next year, then end of next year move up.”

Leon Edwards will likely have to go through Islam Makhachev before making the move to 185

Chances are to achieve that status, he’ll have to go through another fighter with two-division glory on his mind.

After finishing Dustin Poirier in the UFC 302 headliner on June 1, reigning lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev called for a champion vs. champion clash between himself and Leon Edwards. As of now, ‘Rocky’ believes that both of them have plenty big enough backlog to keep them busy in their own divisions for the time being. Though, he can’t deny it would be a “massive fight” for both men.

With Edwards already scheduled to give ‘Remember The Name’ his long-awaited title opportunity, Makhachev will likely move on to a rematch with his division’s No. 1 contender, Arman Tsarukyan, with October in Abu Dhabi or November in New York hosting.