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Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Gameplans Go Out the Window With a Punch, Explains Arman Tsarukyan

Khabib Nurmagomedov's Gameplans Go Out the Window With a Punch, Explains Arman Tsarukyan Arman Tsarukyan subscribes to the popular Mike Tyson quote, ‘Everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the…

Arman Tsarukyan subscribes to the popular Mike Tyson quote, ‘Everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the mouth.’ Especially when it comes to UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov.

On January 18, Tsarukyan will put that theory to a test, though it won’t come against Nurmagomedov. Instead, it’ll be against the Hall of Famer’s protege, Islam Makhachev, who just happens to be the promotion’s reigning lightweight world champion. Tsarukyan will challenge the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ for the 155-pound crown when the UFC heads to the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles for the first pay-per-view event of 2025, UFC 311.

Nurmagomedov is expected to be in Makhachev’s corner that night and will likely go into fight night with a well-thought-out game plan when Makhachev seeks his fourth successful defense of the lightweight strap.

Undoubtedly helping matters will be the fact that Makhachev already holds a victory over Tsarukyan under the UFC banner, besting the Armenian at UFC on ESPN+ 7 in April 2019.

Arman Tsarukyan knows how to disrupt makhachev’s game plan

Of course, Tsarukyan thinks that successfully throwing Makhachev off his game will come down to one not-so-simple task — hit the man really, really, hard.

“I think game plans can go out the window when you get hit with a hard punch,” Tsarukyan said in an interview with ESPN MMA. “If I hurt him really badly, he’ll forget about his game plan. It’s the same for me. In my last fight, Oliveira choked me, and after that moment, I forgot my game plan completely. That’s why I have to hurt him very badly in the first round. Then it won’t matter what game plan they have.”

Tsarukyan certainly has a knack for knocking his opponents out. In his nine career wins under the UFC banner, he’s scored highlight-reel KOs against Christos Giagos, Joel Alvarez, Joaquim Silva, and Beneil Dariush.

I Only Knew Islam Makhachev as Khabib’s Cousin, Says UFC Contender Arman Tsarukyan

For most people, Islam Makhachev is known as the reigning UFC lightweight world champion. Some may even know him…

For most people, Islam Makhachev is known as the reigning UFC lightweight world champion. Some may even know him as the best P4P fighter on the planet. For Arman Tsarukyan, he was just the cousin of Octagon icon Khabib Nurmagomedov.

On Saturday, January 18, Tsarukyan will attempt to become just the second man to defeat Khabib’s cuz when the two headline UFC 311 inside the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. On that night, ‘Akhalkalakets’ challenges Makhachev for the 155-pound crown in a rematch five years in the making.

It will be the pair’s second-ever meeting — their first coming at UFC on ESPN+ 7 in April 2019. Makhachev came out on top, handing Tsarukyan a unanimous decision loss in the Armenian’s promotional debut.

Since then, Tsarukyan has gone 9-1 inside the Octagon, including wins over Beneil Dariush and Charles Oliveira in his last two outings. Those victories thrust Tsarukyan into the top spot in the lightweight division, setting the stage for a rematch more than five years in the making.

Tsarukyan knew Islam Makhachev would be tough just because of his relationship with Khabib

Long before Tsarukyan ever stepped foot inside a cage with Makhachev, he knew who the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ was. However, it wasn’t Makhachev’s reputation for stacking bodies inside the Octagon that got Tsarukyan’s attention — it was his relation to ‘The Eagle.

“I knew him very well because he’s Khabib’s cousin, and he already had five or six fights in the UFC,” Tsarukyan told ESPN MMA. “I always watched his fights and Khabib’s fights. So, when I heard it was Islam, I already knew he was a southpaw, a good wrestler, and very skilled.

“I was more excited because everyone in Russia knows him. I thought it was a good fight for me, and when I beat him, people would talk about me.”

Arman Tsarukyan Did Not Intend to Fight for a UFC Title: “Just Wanted to Get Into the Top 15.”

When Arman Tsarukyan first made his UFC debut, fighting for a title never crossed his mind. Fast forward six…

When Arman Tsarukyan first made his UFC debut, fighting for a title never crossed his mind.

Fast forward six years and that’s exactly what ‘Akhalkalakets’ will do when he steps back inside the Octagon on January 18. On that night, Tsarukyan will square off with reigning and defending lightweight world champion Islam Makhaev at UFC 311 inside the Intuit Dome in The City of Angels — Los Angeles, California.

It will be the second-ever meeting between Makhachev and Tsarukyan after the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ spoiled Tsarukyan’s UFC debut all the way back in April 2019.

Since then, Tsarukyan has gone 9-1 under the UFC banner with his most recent wins coming against Beneil Dariush and former 155-pound titleholder Charles Oliveira. Those victories secured him the top spot in the lightweight division, guaranteeing him a long-awaited rematch with Makhachev.

After getting his first UFC win, Arman Tsarukyan knew he wanted to be a champion

Looking back on his career, Tsarukyan recalls never once thinking about challenging for a UFC title. That is, until the first time he got his hand raised inside the Octagon.

“When I got to the UFC, I didn’t think about the UFC belt and everything,” Tsarukyan said in an interview with ESPN MMA. “I just wanted to get into the top 15. But after my first win, I wanted to be a champion, and I started thinking about the championship. When Islam got the belt, I said I want to fight Islam for the belt. So, it’s a rematch and a fight for the belt.”

Overall, Arman Tsarukyan is 22-3 in his mixed martial arts career with nine of his victories coming in the UFC. He goes into his first title shot riding a four-fight win streak including back-to-back knockouts against Joaquim Silva and Dariush.

Paddy Pimblett shares cryptic fight news, fans suggest Michael Chandler clash: ‘See you at the top’

Surging lightweight contender, Paddy Pimblett has once more sent fans into raptures tonight on social media, claiming he has…

Surging lightweight contender, Paddy Pimblett has once more sent fans into raptures tonight on social media, claiming he has agreed to his next outing in the UFC — before sharing the cryptic message, “see you at the top” — coined previously by lightweight veteran, Michael Chandler.

Pimblett, a former undisputed Cage Warriors featherweight champion, and the current number thirteen ranked divisional contender, retained his unbeaten run in the Octagon back in July at UFC 304, taking on King Green.

Submitting the lightweight striker with a Submission of the Year contender triangle choke in the opening round during a grappling exchange, Paddy Pimblett finally cracked the lightweight top-15 pile, and turned in his sixth straight win since his move from the above-mentioned, Cage Warriors.

Paddy Pimblett hints at potential fight with Michael Chandler next

And on social media tonight, following a YouTube video posted by Paddy Pimblett that he has fight news coming soon — fans have speculated the Liverpool native may be hinting at a massive fight with former title chaser, Chandler, using the phase coined by the veteran, “see you at the top”.

Himself most recently snapping his two-year hiatus from the Octagon back in November, Chandler co-headlined UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, rematching former undisputed champion, Charles Oliveira.

And despite mounting a late fifth round comeback, Chandler dropped a unanimous decision loss against the Sao Paulo fan-favorite, before once more staking his claim for a grudge fight with former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor.

Without a win since May of 2022, Chandler, a former three-time Bellator MMA champion, turned in a stunning second round front kick KO win over common-foe and former interim champion, Tony Ferguson at UFC 274.

The exact moment Arman Tsarukyan realized he could be UFC champ: ‘I thought it was impossible’

Just weeks out from his UFC 311 title charge, Arman Tsarukyan has claimed the minute he entered the Octagon…

Just weeks out from his UFC 311 title charge, Arman Tsarukyan has claimed the minute he entered the Octagon against current champion, Islam Makhachev in his 2019 debut, he knew his dream of becoming a promotional gold holder was no longer “impossible.

Tsarukyan, the current number one ranked lightweight challenger, earned himself a title fight rematch with the current pound-for-pound number one, Makhachev back in April on the main card of UFC 300.

Facing off with common-foe and former champion, Charles Oliveira in an officially-billed championship-eliminator, Tsarukyan would narrowly beat the Brazilian in a controversial split decision win over the course of three rounds.

Arman Tsarukyan reveals moment he knew UFC dream was possible

And slated to take main event honors next month at UFC 311 in a re-run with Makhachev, Armenian force, Tsarukyan has revealed that once he finally got the call to feature against the Russian at a ‘Fight Night’ billed card in St. Petersburg nearly five years ago, he knew he could actually achieve his dream of landing Octagon spoils.

“When I fought my last time in Russia, it wasn’t the UFC yet. My manager told me, “You’re going to get into the UFC soon.” Then, he called me three weeks before and said, “You got the fight in the UFC.” I said, “Okay, sign the contract.” Then he told me it was Islam Makhachev. I said, “Okay, even better,” Arman Tsarukyan told ESPN MMA during a recent interview ahead of UFC 311.

I was super excited because I was super young — 22 years old — and I wanted to win so badly,” Arman Tsarukyan explained. “That fight was the biggest dream of my life. When I was young, the UFC seemed super big for me, and I thought it was impossible to get there. But when I got there and started fighting, I understood I could be a champ.”

Jamahal Hill mocked online after Tom Aspinall call out resurfaces: ‘Please tell me this is fake’

Former light heavyweight champion, Jamahal Hill has once more received flak on social media this week, after a recent…

Former light heavyweight champion, Jamahal Hill has once more received flak on social media this week, after a recent call out of current heavyweight titleholder, Tom Aspinall resurfaced — with fans mocking the Illinois native’s pursuit of a clash in the future.

Hill, a former undisputed light heavyweight champion and the first product of Dana White’s Contender Series to win a title in the promotion, will make his return next month at UFC 311, taking on fellow ex-champion, Jiri Prochazka in a potential title eliminator.

Sidelined though injury since he headlined UFC 300 earlier this year in April, Hill made his return from an achilles tendon injury in a main event grudge match with Alex Pereira, dropping a stunning first round knockout loss to the Brazilian megastar.

However, on social media this week, Hill’s call out of current interim heavyweight gold holder, Aspinall has been brought to light once more — after the former claimed he was a fan of the potential pairing, and fancied his chances of landing an upset win.

Report - Jiri Prochazka set to fight Jamahal Hill in January return to UFC

“I usually walk around maybe like 240 [pounds],” Jamahal Hill explained. “I’m 240 right now, bro. Bro, I’m trying to tell you, bro, I’m a big boy. I’m a big dog. It’s possible. It’s possible, bro.”

“What the f*** is a power advantage?” Jamahal Hill explained. “The game is, it doesn’t matter who is more powerful. What it comes down to is who’s going to hit who first, but we both got power. You can be a thousand times more powerful than me. I hit you first. What does that mean? That’s game.”

Fans mock Jamahal Hill after call out of Tom Aspinall

Across social media this week, fans have reacted to Hill’s comments — with some even going as far as to question if not only was the Illinois striker serious, but if the quotes emerged were legitimate.

“Tell me this a fake quote,” One user on X posted.

“Haha, dream big, Jamahal,”

“Hill isn’t big like a HW he’s just fat,” A user commented. “He’s been finished in the first round [in] 2 of the his last 6 fights.”

“Is Jamahal trying to line up his funeral?”