MMA opinion: Why Arman Tsarukyan isn’t fighting for a belt
In any other era, Arman Tsarukyan’s dominance over the lightweight division would be inevitable. But his antics outside the cage have cost him dearly, and his future remains uncertain.
Sports News Blitz writer Ollie Hughes discusses the uncertain future of one of the lightweight division’s most talented fighters.
Bringing a complete style that incorporates short throws, well-timed takedowns, and strong striking fundamentals, combined with sheer athleticism, Arman Tsarukyan is a problem for anyone at 155lb.
And yet, as the lightweight title picture continues to shift around him, he remains just outside it. Not quite ignored, but never fully embraced by the UFC marketing machine.
A tough debut
When Arman Tsarukyan first came to the UFC in 2019, he was never given any favours.
His first matchup was against former lightweight champion, current welterweight champion, and future Hall of Famer, Islam Makhachev.
The fight displayed some of the highest-level grappling exchanges seen in recent years, with Arman even managing to take down the Dagestani, but ultimately losing a high-pace decision.
Even in defeat, Arman’s stock rose.
Taking the fight on short notice and delivering such a strong performance against Islam brought significant attention and left fans excited for an inevitable rematch further down the line
Path to the title
Arman steadily accumulated an impressive win streak but suffered a razor-close decision loss to Mateusz Gamrot that many felt could have gone the other way.
Undeterred, he went on another tear through the division, which culminated in a fight on one of the most prestigious cards in recent years, UFC 300, where he faced fan favourite Charles Oliveira and secured a close decision win.
At the time of UFC 311, Islam Makhachev had established himself as one of the most dominant champions in the sport.
The stage was finally set for a rematch, this time with the belt on the line.
Disaster
The fight was one of the most hyped of the year, with pundits hailing Arman as Islam’s toughest matchup in the division.
Both fighters had improved significantly since their initial meeting.
And then, disaster. A fumble that Arman’s career has not recovered from since.
Citing a back injury, which many speculated may have arisen from a mismanaged weight cut, Arman pulled out of his title fight at UFC 311 during fight week.
Instead of the high-level rematch fans were promised, the result was one of the biggest mismatches in recent title fight history, with Islam submitting short-notice replacement Renato Moicano in the first round.
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Arman vs the world
The disappointment from this mismatch and the blame placed on Arman permeated MMA media.
Arman has since become the subject of ridicule online and has effectively been frozen out of the title picture while the division has moved on without him.
Islam has made the inevitable move up to welterweight and claimed another belt, leaving Arman’s chances of avenging that loss almost nonexistent.
In limbo
Meanwhile, Arman’s former opponent Charles Oliveira fought for the vacant lightweight belt against Ilia Topuria, losing via a devastating knockout.
Right now, Arman sits in limbo, despite being one of the most talented fighters in the division and a serious challenge to Topuria, while also being nowhere near a title shot, with UFC president Dana White making this abundantly clear.
Outside the cage
No doubt part of the issue is Tsarukyan’s track record outside the cage.
Across multiple fight weeks and events, he has been involved in a series of altercations, from confrontations with fellow fighters to incidents with fans and post-fight scuffles involving his team.
While none of these moments have completely derailed his career, they have created a pattern that is difficult for the UFC to ignore.
In a sport where champions are expected to represent the promotion as much as themselves, that kind of unpredictability carries risk.
For a fighter already lacking a clear promotional narrative, it becomes easier to understand why the UFC may hesitate before placing him at the very top of the division.
Not-so-humble origins
Another factor that may keep the UFC brass wary of having Arman anywhere near a title relates to his background, specifically the immense wealth he comes from.
It is no secret that Arman’s father, Nairi Tsarukyan, is a construction tycoon in Russia, with estimates of his net worth ranging up to $100 million.
Those who follow Arman online will know that he has recently leaned into his ‘rich boy’ persona, posting clips of decadent meals set against a backdrop of luxury that most fighters can only dream of.
As the topic of fighter pay continues to enter mainstream conversation, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the UFC prefers to keep its fighters, even those considered the sport’s top earners, hungry for more.
If the UFC has learned anything from Conor McGregor, it is that a fighter with generational wealth is far harder to control.
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Keeping busy
Arman has recently been doing the rounds on the podcast and social media circuit, likely in an effort to raise his public profile to a level where the UFC deems a title shot good business.
As well as this, he has been keeping himself busy with submission grappling matches and freestyle wrestling, winning in dominant fashion for the most part.
Right now, a fight between Ilia Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan is the most exciting and relevant matchup to be made in the lightweight division.
But it is also a fight that exists more easily on paper than in reality.
Just out of reach
While Tsarukyan has done everything required to earn his place at the top, he is still caught between his past missteps and a promotion that appears to hold a grudge.
It is a shame in a company that once prided itself on ‘the best fighting the best.’
It is what set the UFC apart from boxing for so long, where politics often meant some of the era’s best fights failed to materialise or happened too late.
Until that changes, the division risks leaving one of its most complete fighters just outside the title picture he has already earned his place in.
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