ABU DHABI – Arman Tsarukyan can’t help but think he should be just a few days from fighting Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 308. Instead, he’ll have to wait a few more months.
Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) was ready and willing to fight Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) on Saturday’s card at Etihad Arena, but then the champion sustained a hand injury that prolonged his timeline for a return into early 2025.
Despite that, Tsarukyan flew to the event as a guest fighter to feel the energy of a massive fight week on a card now headlined by Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway. However, he admits he wishes it was him in the main event.
“We were supposed to fight here and then in December, but now they told me beginning of next year,” Tsarukyan told MMA Junkie on Tuesday. “I’m getting ready and hopefully it’s going to be in January or February. It’s going to be a title fight for sure. I wish I fight this weekend because I don’t want to waste my time and wait, because I fought just one time this year. I wanted to fight now and then rest and then fight and defend my title next year.”
Tsarukyan’s showdown with Makhachev, whenever it happens, will be a rematch between the two top-ranked lightweights in the UFC. They first met in April 2019, with Tsarukyan losing a decision in the Fight of the Night. He took the bout on short notice and performed admirably, but both men have improved significantly since then.
It’s Tsarukyan’s expectation that the second encounter will be a competitive one, as well, but ultimately he is setting the bar high for himself, and that means finishing the job without the involvement of the judges.
“You can’t say it’s going to be an easy fight,” Tsarukyan said. “I try to think it’s going to be easy for me, and I don’t want to think it’s going to be a decision. I want to finish him.”
According to the UFC’s official rankings, Makhachev is currently the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the organization. UFC CEO Dana White has adamantly rejected that notion and emphatically backed Jon Jones for the position, and Tsarukyan tends to agree with that stance.
“No, he doesn’t deserve it,” Tsarukyan said. “I agree the No. 1 pound-for-pound is Jon Jones because he’s a legend. He’s still fighting. We’ll see. Next month he’s fighting and if he beats Stipe Miocic, he’s got to be No. 1 pound-for-pound. Then when he retires, of course it’s Islam.”
Tsarukyan, 28, said he expects the fight with Makhachev, 32, to be finalized in the coming days, with UFC 311 on Jan. 18 or UFC 312 on Feb. 12 being the most likely dates. If Tsarukyan captures the 155-pound strap, he would be 1-1 in head-to-head competition with Makhachev. Does that mean a trilogy would be next? He can’t say for sure, but Tsarukyan would most certainly be open to more fights with Makhachev going forward.
“For me, it doesn’t matter – I can fight with him three or four times,” Tsarukyan said. “I just want the title. After the title I can tell what I’m going to do. My goal is just to win the title and then after that I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
