[autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] gave [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] some words of encouragement after their first UFC fight.
Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) welcomed Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) to the UFC in April 2019, defeating the then-22-year-old by unanimous decision. It was a short-notice fight for Tsarukyan, but the loss was still a tough pill to swallow.
“Yeah, of course I do (remember). He supported me after the fight,” Tsarukyan told Red Corner MMA. “He said, ‘You’re still young, everything’s ahead of you. So, don’t be upset.’ And I was like, ‘I’m not that young,’ fell down, sat down, and covered my eyes. Yes, I never liked losing, no matter how young I was.”
Tsarukyan would go on to win nine of his next 10 fights, earning his way back to a rematch with UFC lightweight champion Makhachev. The pair run things back in the UFC 311 headliner Jan. 18 from Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., which airs on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
According to BetMGM, Makhachev is a big -450 favorite over Tsarukyan, who’s a +325 underdog. For years, Tsarukyan was the fighter who pushed Makhachev the most, but Makhachev is confident that he gets the finish this time.
“I think he (Makhachev) might underestimate me on camera, acting like I’m not on his level, but his team, his coaches understand that I’m a very serious threat,” Tsarukyan said. “And they will prepare as well as they can.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.