Arman Tsarukyan Willing To Be Backup For UFC 317 Or UFC 318 Main Event
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 13: Arman Tsarukyan of Georgia prepares to fight in a lightweight fight ... More during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
If the UFC needs a backup fighter for the main event of the UFC 317 or UFC 318 pay-per-view cards, Arman Tsarukyan is willing and able to step in on short notice.
Tsarukyan (22-3) is the No. 1 fighter in the UFC lightweight rankings. The 28-year-old was to face Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 311, but he was forced from that fight after when he sustained an injury during his weight cut. Instead, Makhachev faced Renato Moicano on that pay-per-view card, defending his title via first-round submission. Tsarukyan has not competed since he earned a split-decision win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in April 2024.
'I am not sure if that's needed, but if they offer me that, I will definitely back it up,' Tsarukyan recently said. 'I will be ready. I am flying back to the U.S. now and will be staying there in case anyone is injured and [if] the UFC asks me if I am ready, I will say yes.'
'I need to take chances now," Tsarukyan added. "I got injured and this injury got misinterpreted. The doctor didn't let everybody know what really happened, so some people still think I ducked that fight.
'Now I just need to get back on track, so I'm going to do whatever the UFC tells me to do.'
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 21: Islam Makhachev of Russia reacts after his knockout ... More victory against Alexander Volkanovski of Australia in the UFC lightweight championship fight during the UFC 294 event at Etihad Arena on October 21, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The main event of UFC 317 will crown a new lightweight champion.
In the lead-up to UFC 316, the speculation was if Belal Muhammad retained his UFC welterweight title with a win over Jack Della Maddalena, then UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev would remain at 155 pounds and defend his title against Ilia Topuria. The reason for this thinking being that Makhachev and Muhammad have trained together and that they would not be willing to face each other inside the Octagon.
However, with Jack Della Maddalena defeating Muhammad, that opened the door for Makhachev to move to welterweight. The thinking now being that he will get an immediate title shot against Maddalena in the freshly crowned champ's first title defense.
Makhachev's manager Ali Abdelaziz spoke to MMA Junkie about the situation.
'If Belal were to win, Islam was never going to fight Belal, and he's going to stay in the (lightweight) division. But now Jack wins,' Abdelaziz said. 'Islam has beaten everyone in this division, literally. Dan Hooker, Arman (Tsarukyan), Charles Oliveira, he's on a 15-fight winning streak, finished nine of his last 10 opponents. (There's no one who) deserves to go fight for a second title than Islam, and the reason he wasn't going to do it because Belal was the champion.'
UFC CEO Dana White has announced the plans for Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev, but did not announce a date for the 170-pound title fight. With that, the UFC lightweight title will most likely become vacant the moment the UFC 317 main event, which pits former UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria against Oliveira, begins.
UFC 317 takes place on Saturday, June 28 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 11: Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier face-off for the media during the UFC 236 ... More Ultimate Media Day at Hyatt Regency Atlanta on April 11, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Dustin Poirier will close out his UFC career in a main event matchup against Max Holloway at UFC 318. Holloway's BMF title will be on the line in the lightweight matchup, which marks the third meeting between the two future UFC Hall of Famers.
UFC 318 takes place on July 19 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
We will have more on Arman Tsarukyan, UFC 317 and UFC 318 as news becomes available.
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