Arman Tsarukyan believes that the current UFC lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria, should consider moving up to the welterweight division after his upcoming title defense.
Topuria is set to face Justin Gaethje in a title unification bout on June 14. Following this fight, which Topuria anticipates winning by first-round knockout, he is expected to defend his lightweight belt against top contender Tsarukyan.
Currently, Tsarukyan is the official backup fighter for the Topuria vs. Gaethje match. While he won’t be present at the weigh-ins for UFC 250 in Washington, he is scheduled to compete against Tony Ferguson at RFA 10 on July 13. However, he is prepared to step in immediately if any issues arise with either of the main event fighters.
Arman Tsarukyan Advises “El Matador” to Move to 170 Pounds and Avoid Him
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Arman Tsarukyan shared his opinion that if the UFC permits Ilia Topuria to move up to the 170-pound division after June 14, he should do so.
Tsarukyan suggests that Topuria would be better off pursuing a historic third division title against Islam Makhachev rather than risking his current lightweight championship against him. He stated:
“If UFC lets him move up, he’s gonna move up. It’s better to fight with Islam than with me. Because it’s a third title, big money, and if he loses to Islam, it’s ok because he moves up a weight class and loses to the pound-for-pound king. But if he loses to me at 155 [pounds], he’s going to be gone.”
Arman Tsarukyan also confirmed in a widely shared video that his next fight will be for a championship, scheduled for September in Las Vegas. The 29-year-old also mentioned the possibility of a rematch with the newly crowned BMF titleholder, Charles Oliveira.
“My next fight is a title fight, which is probably in September in LA… I may fight him [Charles Oliveira] again.”
English Translation:
Arman Tsarukyan confirmed his next fight will be for a title in September and issued a stark warning to UFC champion Ilia Topuria, suggesting a loss to him would be career-ending.
Tsarukyan believes that reigning UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria should consider moving up to the welterweight division after his upcoming title defense.
Topuria is scheduled to face Justin Gaethje in a title unification bout on June 14. Following this fight, which “El Matador” expects to win by first-round knockout, he is slated to defend his lightweight strap against top contender Tsarukyan.
Currently, the Armenian fighter is the official backup for the Topuria vs. Gaethje bout. Although he won’t be present for the UFC 250 weigh-ins in Washington, he is booked to face Tony Ferguson at RFA 10 on July 13. However, he is ready to step in immediately if anything happens to either of the fighters in the main event.
Arman Tsarukyan Suggests “El Matador” Should Move Up to 170 Pounds and Avoid Him
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Arman Tsarukyan opined that if the promotion allows Ilia Topuria to move up to 170 pounds after June 14, he should readily make the move.
The Armenian fighter believes Topuria would be better off attempting to make history by winning a third division title against Islam Makhachev than risking his lightweight title against “Ahalkalakets.” He quipped:
“If UFC lets him move up, he’s gonna move up. It’s better to fight with Islam than with me. Because it’s a third title, big money, and if he loses to Islam, it’s ok because he moves up a weight class and loses to the pound-for-pound king. But if he loses to me at 155 [pounds], he’s going to be gone.”
Arman Tsarukyan also confirmed in a now-viral clip that his next bout will be a championship fight scheduled for September in Las Vegas. The 29-year-old also added that he could have a rematch with the newly minted BMF titleholder Charles Oliveira.
“My next fight is a title fight, which is probably in September in LA… I may fight him [Charles Oliveira] again.”
