Arman Tsarukyan has been steadily gaining momentum since his initial appearance in the UFC, matching against Islam Makhachev. Tsarukyan aims to square old accounts in his most significant bout to date on Jan. 18 at UFC 311. Unseating UFC lightweight champion Makhachev hasn’t been a walk in the park, as Tsarukyan can vouch for. He put up a brave show during his rashly-arranged debut in 2019, displaying commendable skill considering his maturity as a fighter back then, yet he fell short to Makhachev.
Subsequent to that event, Tsarukyan has evolved into a formidable force in the 155-pound category while Makhachev maintained his unwavering trajectory towards legendary status. Makhachev is already on par with the UFC’s record for sequential lightweight defenses (3) and has the chance to etch a new milestone if he prevails over Tsarukyan once more at UFC 311.
According to Tsarukyan, the reigning champion has milestones left to conquer to outshine the legacy of his lifelong companion and mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Tsarukyan firmly ranks Nurmagomedov higher than Makhachev both as a fighter and a person. He mentioned admiringly, ‘Khabib, in my opinion, is on his own pinnacle. His influence extended not just inside the ring but beyond. During my younger years, I revered all Khabib’s matches, categorizing him as the greatest in our field.’
Nurmagomedov, the erstwhile UFC lightweight champion, is widely revered for his immaculate 29-0 MMA record, eventually retiring in 2020. Currently, Makhachev, aged 33, is the secondary fighter to secure the title post Nurmagomedov and shares a joint defense record with Nurmagomedov, BJ Penn, Benson Henderson, and Frankie Edgar.
While Tsarukyan never got an opportunity to test his prowess against Nurmagomedov, he believes that besting Makhachev is the optimal achievement in his sight, viewing it as a unique two-in-one victory. ‘It seemingly fires me up,’ Tsarukyan mentioned the presence of Nurmagomedov in Makhachev’s support crew for UFC 311. ‘If I overthrow Islam, it symbolically means I’ve triumphed over Khabib’s team. My ultimate aim is to overpower him without leaving the final verdict to the judges.’
Tsarukyan and Makhachev shared their inaugural face-off for their forthcoming rematch at UFC 311’s initial press conference hosted recently in Las Vegas. Despite their headline status, the event’s secondary main event stole the limelight with spirited exchanges between UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and contender Umar Nurmagomedov, a cousin of Khabib.
Tsarukyan is optimistically confident of equalizing his score with Makhachev, yet the 28-year-old harbors no ill-will against the reigning UFC lightweight champion. He tracked Makhachev’s progress since their last bout and acknowledges improvements in Makhachev’s game save for his grappling skills. ‘My eyes are on his title,’ he asserted. ‘For me, it’s more about the sport than personal spats or drama, we’re in it purely to determine the best in the lightweight division. I can confidently say I’ve transformed as a fighter with the arsenal to defeat him.’
As Makhachev is on the verge of a record four lightweight title defenses, it’s a sensible presumption that a loss could trigger an instant rematch. However, Tsarukyan is unfazed by this prospect. Makhachev’s obligations to observe the upcoming Muslim holiday of Ramadan after UFC 311 imply a pause in his fighting career and Tsarukyan has no intentions to let his own career stagnate.
Known for maintaining an active fighting rhythm, Tsarukyan stepped inside the ring only once in 2024, making it the second dormant year since his professional debut in 2015. He plans to alter this scenario if he becomes a champion, and already anticipates the first contender for the title.
Tsarukyan expressed, ‘I’m eager to return to the ring at the earliest, preferably in May. Once I secure the title, I need to chase the financial perks it brings. I’m looking at at least three fights in 2025. [Charles] Oliveira should definitely be the next. It promises to be an exciting match-up. Five rounds, pitting the former champion against a newly minted one. I anticipate it to be a great fight and a highly anticipated rematch.’