“Is It Time?”- Arman Tsarukyan Puts UFC Fans in Charge of His Next Move
Arman Tsarukyan has spent months sitting on the sidelines watching the lightweight title picture unfold without him. The Armenian contender destroyed Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar back in November. That dominant performance should have earned him a title shot against the winner of upcoming championship fights. Instead, the UFC booked an interim title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324. Gaethje won that bout and now faces Ilia Topuria in a unification match at the UFC White House card. Tsarukyan has been left out of the lightweight title conversation entirely despite being the clear number one contender.
The frustration of waiting has pushed Tsarukyan to consider alternative options for staying active and relevant. He’s competed in Real American Freestyle wrestling matches to keep busy between UFC bookings. He even had a post-fight brawl with Gerogio Poullas at RAF 6 that generated massive attention. Now, Tsarukyan is teasing a potential move, but is asking fans whether that would be what they want.
Arman Tsarukyan Offers To Save The Featherweight Division
Arman Tsarukyan (23-3) watched UFC London’s main event Saturday night like millions of other MMA fans worldwide. Movsar Evloev faced Lerone Murphy in a crucial featherweight contender bout with title shot implications. Both fighters entered undefeated with lengthy win streaks and legitimate claims to challenge Volkanovski next. The fight went the distance with Evloev winning via majority decision in a closely contested battle.
After watching that main event unfold, Tsarukyan took to social media with a provocative question for fans. He posted on Threads asking whether it’s time for him to save the featherweight division entirely. The post suggests Tsarukyan believes neither Evloev nor Murphy presents a compelling challenge to the dominant champion. He sees an opening to insert himself into the featherweight title picture instead.
“UFC fans, is it time for me to save the featherweight division?”
Tsarukyan also tweeted that he’s “next” following Evloev’s victory over Murphy on Saturday night. That bold declaration indicates he might be serious about making the move down to 145 pounds. The Armenian fighter has consistently stated his body can handle the weight cut without major issues. More importantly, he’s claimed the move wouldn’t be temporary for just one fight if he drops down.
The timing makes sense from Tsarukyan’s perspective given the lightweight title situation remains stuck in limbo. Topuria and Gaethje won’t unify the belts until June 14th at the UFC White House card. The winner will need recovery time before defending against the next challenger in line. That means Tsarukyan could be waiting until late 2026 or even early 2027 for his lightweight title opportunity.
SHOP: Kickboxing Equipment
The Featherweight Move Makes Competitive Sense
Arman Tsarukyan’s potential drop to featherweight presents interesting stylistic problems for Alexander Volkanovski specifically. The Armenian possesses elite wrestling credentials that could trouble the champion’s defensive grappling. Volkanovski has stuffed countless takedowns during his title reign, but Tsarukyan’s pressure and chain wrestling might overwhelm him. Khabib Nurmagomedov recently predicted Tsarukyan would have an 80-20 advantage over Topuria based purely on wrestling ability.
That same wrestling advantage would apply against Volkanovski, who’s primarily a striker with solid defensive wrestling fundamentals. Tsarukyan combines his grappling with improving striking that’s become more dangerous over recent fights. The combination of wrestling threat and striking power makes Tsarukyan a nightmare matchup.
Volkanovski has acknowledged the potential challenge publicly, stating he loves facing tough opponents regardless of weight class. The champion mentioned Tsarukyan specifically when asked about potential featherweight challengers recently. He admitted the Armenian would present a difficult test if he successfully makes the weight cut. But Volkanovski also pointed to other deserving contenders like Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy.
Dana White hasn’t made any official announcements about Volkanovski’s next title defense following UFC London’s main event. Evloev called for a title shot immediately after defeating Murphy on Saturday night. However, his majority decision victory wasn’t dominant enough to guarantee anything from the UFC president. White could easily book Volkanovski against Tsarukyan instead if the Armenian commits to featherweight.
(Image Credit: ESPN)
ALSO READ: Darren Till Targets Carl Froch Fight, Says He Has Four Years Left in Combat Sports
Recent posts
