Arman Tsarukyan feels like he`s currently overlooked in the UFC lightweight title scene.
Just recently, Tsarukyan had a prime opportunity to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight championship, a rematch from their 2019 bout. However, a back injury forced him to withdraw the day before the fight, and a new fight hasn`t been scheduled for him yet.
Tsarukyan has expressed willingness to fight anyone to earn another title shot, but no fight has been arranged. He thinks the division is waiting for Makhachev to decide his next move, which will then set everything else in motion.
“The reason nobody wants to fight me right now is because it`s a risky fight without a title on the line,” Tsarukyan stated on the JAXXON podcast. He believes fighters like Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria are prioritizing title fights, and once the title picture is clearer, he`ll get his chance to fight.
The top lightweight contenders might be in a holding pattern until after UFC 315 to learn about their future fights.
UFC 315 on May 10 is headlined by welterweight champion Belal Muhammad against Jack Della Maddalena. Muhammad`s training partnership with Makhachev has prevented Makhachev from moving up to welterweight. If Della Maddalena wins, Makhachev might then consider a fight against him.
If Makhachev moves to welterweight, the lightweight title could become vacant or an interim title created. Tsarukyan expects to be in contention for that interim title if Makhachev leaves lightweight.
“If Islam goes to 170 pounds, then yes, they will have to give me an interim title fight against someone,” Tsarukyan predicted.
Tsarukyan wouldn`t be surprised if Ilia Topuria jumps ahead of other lightweight contenders for an immediate title shot against Makhachev. Topuria recently vacated his featherweight belt to move to lightweight. If Muhammad wins and Makhachev stays at lightweight, the UFC might want to create a Makhachev-Topuria “superfight.”
Tsarukyan anticipates this scenario, adding that even if Makhachev fights and beats Topuria, Tsarukyan still thinks Makhachev needs to fight him before leaving the lightweight division permanently.
“I believe Topuria will definitely fight for the belt,” Tsarukyan said. “I think he vacated the 145-pound belt because he was promised a title fight… Islam might not want to fight him because if he wins, people will say, ‘He just beat another featherweight and not a top lightweight contender.’”
“If Islam defeats me, I think he will be done with the lightweight division. He would have defeated everyone, but he needs to beat me for people to truly acknowledge that.”
