Arman Tsarukyan thinks he can drag Islam Makhachev into deep waters at UFC 311.
Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) challenges lightweight champion Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) in Saturday’s main event (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+) at Intuit Dome.
Tsarukyan will look to avenge his UFC debut loss to Makhachev in April 2019. Although he gave Makhachev a good fight, Tsarukyan is excited to show off his improvements in their title-fight rematch.
“Of course, I’ve changed so much,” Tsarukyan said on the “Pound 4 Pound” podcast. “I have improved all my skills, but the best thing I feel is experience from the fights. When you fight, you go there, you do some mistakes during the fight, and then go to the gym and work on your new skills.
“After each fight, I feel like I’m getting better, better, better. The best thing from the fight, I got experience. Especially UFC experience. When you fight the first time, you’re super excited, you’re nervous, but now I’m already used to it for the crowd, for the people, for the media. Just now it’s like a job. Just go there and have fun and fight.”
Tsarukyan praised Makhachev for his all-around skills, but sees a weak spot in his armor that he can expose.
“Islam is so smart,” Tsarukyan said. “He’s so well rounded. He can strike, he can clinch, he can wrestle, but he has weaknesses, as well. His conditioning not the best. So when he fights with a wrestle guy, when it’s going to be difficult to take down someone, he’s going to waste energy. His boxing is better than his kicks. I feel my kicks are way better than his. He is so smart, as well. He knows how to move, how to relax.
“Where you’ve got to drop your gloves, he has a lot of tricky things. On the clinch, he has good movement. He’s ready when you move and then takes you down when you knee him and he flips you. He’s so smart, well rounded fighter, and I’m just going to do my best there, and I know how I can beat (him), and I’ll go there, just feel my hands, power. I just can’t wait to show everybody what’s the new version of Arman Tsarukyan.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.
