Tag: Arman Tsarukyan

Daniel Cormier: Arman Tsarukyan toughest, least lucrative fight for UFC champ Islam Makhachev

Daniel Cormier simply doesn’t see the upside to Islam Makhachev defending his UFC title in a rematch with Arman Tsarukyan.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] believes UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] should avoid fighting [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag].

Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) is steering toward the direction of Dustin Poirier for his next title defense, but a No. 1 contender is expected to emerge out of UFC 300.

Saturday features two marquee lightweight matchups as Justin Gaethje defends his BMF title against Max Holloway, along with former champ Charles Oliveira and Tsarukyan squaring off as they eye rematches with Makhachev. Cormier said Makhachev has the least to gain from fighting Tsarukyan (21-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC).

“Islam and Tsarukyan would be probably the lowest-selling fight of all those fights, but it would be the absolute toughest,” Cormier said on his ESPN show “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Chael Sonnen. “Tsarukyan has a style that lends itself to being competitive against Makhachev. … I believe that Tsarukyan fight is the toughest fight. I don’t know that it’s the most lucrative fight for Makhachev.

“Who you don’t want, honestly, is Arman Tsarukyan. Not because you’re afraid of him, but you don’t really want it because it doesn’t seem to make sense. He needs a little bit more. Maybe he gets the rub from beating Charles Oliveira if he can this weekend and that helps, but I still don’t believe that it generates the revenue for you as a champion, as a Dustin Poirier or a Justin Gaethje.”

Tsarukyan faced Makhachev in his UFC debut in April 2019, losing a competitive decision. He has since gone 8-1, most recently knocking out Beneil Dariush in the first round at UFC on ESPN 52.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Video: How UFC 300 affects the lightweight title picture – Gaethje vs. Holloway, Oliveira vs. Tsarukyan, more

On this week’s episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses the UFC 300 lightweight action and how it affects the division’s title picture.

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses and breaks down all the lightweight bouts featured at UFC 300.

This Saturday, the historic UFC pay-per-view features many prominent 155-pound matchups that could vastly change the title picture in the division. This includes the BMF title defense, as belt holder [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] welcomes back [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] to the division,[autotag] Charles Oliveira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] – which has been labeled as a No. 1 contender bout.

In addition, a pair of bouts featuring veterans [autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Renato Moicano[/autotag], and [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jim Miller[/autotag] also take place.

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, Mike Bohn, and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia discussed all the lightweight action that will be on display at UFC 300.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and also don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/fSjkR02NKpM

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Everything UFC 300 – Pereira vs. Hill, BMF title fight, Harrison’s debut, more

On this week’s episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses everything UFC 300.

Check out this week’s special edition of “Spinning Back Clique,” where we’ll be breaking down everything UFC 300.

This week’s panel will be composed of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia – along with appearances from Matt Wells, Mike Bohn, Farah Hannoun, Dan Tom, and Nolan King.

For this Monday’s special episode, the panel discussed:

  • The pair of undisputed UFC championship fights headlining UFC 300. In the main event, [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] makes his first light heavyweight title defense against former champion  [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag], who returns from injury. In the co-main event, [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] takes on fellow Chinese fighter [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] in a women’s strawweight bout.
  • The first-ever Baddest Motherf*cker title defense, as BMF champion [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] welcomes back [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] to the lightweight division. Other key lightweight bouts go down, including [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag], [autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Renato Moicano[/autotag], [autotag]Jim Miller[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag].
  • Highly-touted undefeated middleweight prospect [autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag]’s return to action. He takes on Cody Brundage in the opening bout of the pay-per-view main card. This will be Nickal’s third fight under the UFC banner.
  • Two-time PFL champion and two-time Judo Olympic gold medalist [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] makes her highly awaited UFC debut. She takes on former champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] at bantamweight – a division Harrison will be debuting in. Harrison has previously fought at 155 and 145 pounds.
  • Former UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] has moved up to featherweight. Veteran contender [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] welcomes him to the division.
  • To cap off the show, the panel will do a quick promo breakdown to hype up the four remaining bouts of the UFC 300 card. This includes [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Aleksandar Rakic[/autotag], [autotag]Sodiq Yusuff[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag], [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag], and [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Cody Garbrandt[/autotag].

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Arman Tsarukyan was nervous about UFC future after Islam Makhachev loss

Arman Tsarukyan feared he could be on the chopping block after losing his UFC debut.

[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] feared he could be on the chopping block after he lost his UFC debut.

Tsarukyan (21-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) stepped in on short notice to face none other than current UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) in April 2019. Tsarukyan put up a valiant effort, but fell short in a unanimous decision loss.

He then drew another high-level grappler in Olivier Aubin-Mercier, and that’s when the fear kicked in. A young Tsarukyan saw it as a must-win fight that his UFC career depended on.

“My hardest fight in the UFC was my second one (vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier),” Tsarukyan told Red Corner MMA. “I lost to Islam and flew to Canada with no coaches. I felt nervous as I thought that if I’d lost, they would’ve removed me from the UFC – 0-2 in the UFC and my career is over. So I was scared of embarrassing myself.”

Tsarukyan ended up notching the win in another hard-fought battle. But Tsarukyan thinks the nature in which he won the fight didn’t make him the promotion’s favorite prospect.

“I won the first round, and the second round was really close, and it was in Canada,” Tsarukyan said. “So I am sitting in my corner and saying to myself, ‘If I lose the third one, it’s over for me.’ I managed to win the fight, although the UFC didn’t like the way I got the win.

“And for a couple of years, they didn’t treat me so well. I was not getting as many fights as I wanted. But then they realized my true potential. I was on a five-fight winning streak and they saw some champion material in me, and now I’m in the position I have always wanted to be.”

Tsarukyan is 8-1 since losing to Makhachev and on the cusp of title contention. He meets former champion Charles Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) at UFC 300 on April 13 – a No. 1 contender bout according to UFC CEO Dana White.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Arman Tsarukyan thinks Islam Makhachev trying to avoid him by wanting Dustin Poirier next

Arman Tsarukyan thinks he’s a bad matchup for UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.

[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] thinks he’s a bad matchup for UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag].

Tsarukyan (21-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) made his UFC debut against Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) in April 2019. He lost a competitive Fight of the Night decision, and has since gone 8-1, with wins over the likes of Damir Ismagulov and Beneil Dariush.

Tsarukyan is booked to fight Charles Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) at UFC 300 on April 13 – a matchup that was dubbed a No. 1 contender by UFC CEO Dana White. But with Makhachev looking to return in June, a quick turnaround could be tough for the winner, hence why Makhachev said he’s open to fighting Dustin Poirier next. But Tsarukyan thinks there’s a reason for that.

“I feel like Islam wants to avoid us,” Tsarukyan said in an interview with Morning Kombat. “He feels like I’m going to win, and for him it’s better to fight Poirier than me because I am more dangerous for him.

“I know wrestling, and maybe he can make more money with Dustin. Probably because of that, he’s interested. Anyway, for me, it doesn’t matter. I just focus on Charles Oliveira. After that fight, we’re going to talk.”

Former interim champion Poirier is coming off a knockout of Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299. He would present a fresh matchup for Makhachev, who already beat Tsarukyan and Oliveira.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

UFC 300 fight card bout order adjusted slightly

Bo Nickal’s UFC 300 card placement has changed ever so slightly.

The UFC 300 bout order has been tweaked ever so slightly, but the change involves perhaps the most highly-debated initial placement.

During the UFC Fight Night 239 broadcast Saturday, the promotion announced [autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Cody Brundage[/autotag] will now open the April 13 main card at T-Mobile Arena. [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] will follow directly thereafter.

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The change comes seven days after the promotion first revealed the full fight card bout order during the UFC 299 main card broadcast March 9. The initial order had Nickal (5-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) vs. Brundage (10-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) above Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) vs. Tsarukyan (21-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC), which sparked much discussion and debate among fans.

Brundage took the influx of online messages in stride, as he tweeted “Y’all mother f*ckers know I just work here, right?” Meanwhile, Nickal voiced confidence in the placement by saying his presence increases pay-per-view buys.

Regardless, Nickal, Brundage, Oliveira, and Tsarukyan will still be on the paid portion of the event, just a little earlier.

With the change, the UFC 300 fight card includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champion Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill – for light heavyweight title
  • Champion Zhang Weili vs. Yan Xiaonan – for women’s strawweight title
  • Champion Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway – for “BMF” title
  • Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan
  • Cody Brundage vs. Bo Nickal

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic
  • Calvin Kattar vs. Aljamain Sterling
  • Kayla Harrison vs. Holly Holm
  • Diego Lopes vs. Sodiq Yusuff
  • Renato Moicano vs. Jalin Turner
  • Jessica Andrade vs. Marina Rodriguez
  • Bobby Green vs. Jim Miller
  • Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Cody Garbrandt

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Charles Oliveira confident he secures title shot with win at UFC 300: ‘You can’t deny this’

Charles Oliveira undoubtedly expects a title shot if he gets past Arman Tsarukyan.

[autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] undoubtedly expects a title shot if he gets past [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag].

Former lightweight champion Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) meets Tsarukyan (21-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) at UFC 300 on April 13 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims expected for ESPN and ESPN+.

Oliveira was scheduled to rematch lightweight champion Islam Makhachev this past October at UFC 294, but withdrew due to a cut. Then Makhachev suffered an injury of his own, further delaying their fight. Now, Oliveira has been matched up with Tsarukyan, who’s also coming off a first-round finish of Beneil Dariush.

“I’m ready to go. I’m ready to go for this fight, very excited,” Oliveira told ESPN. “It’s not a matter of can, it’s a matter of will. We know it’s going to happen. I am the next one in line for the title. Islam hurt himself last time, but I’m ready. Let’s make this happen.”

UFC CEO Dana White declared the fight as a No. 1 contender bout when he made the announcement, which further validates Oliveira’s claim. “Do Bronx’s” lone loss since 2017 came to Makhachev in their vacant title fight at UFC 280.

“It’s always important for us,” Oliveira said. “I’m the next one in line. You can’t deny this. But hear it from the boss? So much better.”

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Why Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan is Daniel Cormier’s favorite UFC 300 matchup

Daniel Cormier is happy to see a potential changing of the guard take place at UFC 300.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] is happy to see a potential changing of the guard in the UFC lightweight division.

Cormier says [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag], which takes place April 13 at UFC 300 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is the matchup he’s most looking forward to on the card.

The former UFC dual-champ explained that top lightweight contenders have recently given the opportunity for rising stars – in this case former champ Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) giving one to Tsarukyan (21-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) – which he can appreciate.

“I’ll be honest, I love the China vs. China fight (Weili vs. Xiaonan), wish that happened in China, but for me, it’s about Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan,” Cormier said on ESPN. “For the first time in a long time, it feels like this division is moving in a direction where all those guys who have been essentially the protectors of the top five are saying, ‘We will fight this next generation of lightweight.’ Can those guys break into that top five?

“Can they break up that quad of Poirier, (Justin) Gaethje, (Michael) Chandler. (Islam) Makhachev never really got a chance. He went as close to the top five as he could and then he became champion. Now can these guys do the same thing? Because for a while, those guys would never even fight them. You’d offer Dustin (Poirier) an Arman Tsarukyan, (and) he’d be like, ‘What? Are you crazy? Why?’ Or Charles. Now those guys are saying, ‘OK, we’ll fight these guys.’ Let’s see what happens.”

That was evident when Gaethje snapped Rafael Fiziev’s winning streak at UFC 286. Poirier will also look to do the same when he meets French standout Benoit Saint-Denis in the co-main event of UFC 299 on March 9.

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Beneil Dariush: Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan winner will depend on how long UFC 300 fight lasts

Given his two most recent losses are to Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan, Beneil Dariush provides insight into the UFC 300 matchup.

[autotag]Beneil Dariush[/autotag] has broken down the matchup between former foes [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] and [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] at UFC 300.

Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) takes on Tsarukyan (21-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) April 13 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in what is being dubbed as a No. 1 contender fight. After amassing an eight-fight winning streak, Dariush (22-6-1 MMA, 16-6-1 UFC) was stopped in back-to-back fights by Oliveira and Tsarukyan in his most recent appearances, giving him unique insight into the matchup.

“Man, that’s a really good fight,” Dariush told The Schmo. “I think Arman has a strength and speed advantage, but experience is with Charles. So, it’s just how far in the fight goes and how the fight goes. There’s a lot of components to it. But, yeah, it’s going to be a good fight.”

Dariush was tentative when picking a winner, but he thinks the longer the fight goes, the stronger former UFC lightweight champion Oliveira gets.

“It’s hard to say,” Dariush continued. “I think early I would go with Arman, but if we go deeper into the fight, I would go with Charles. He seems to come alive as the fight goes. He’s got a lot of tricks, and he’s a great fighter, too.

“Great fighters seem to find holes as a fight gets longer, and I think he could pull that off. But at the same time, Arman could finish it early on, or he could ride him out because he’s got all the skills.”

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Arman Tsarukyan’s coach ahead of UFC 300: Charles Oliveira more dangerous than Islam Makhachev

Arman Tsarukyan’s coach sees Charles Oliveira as a massive threat at UFC 300.

TORONTO – [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag]’s coach sees former UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] as a massive threat.

Tsarukyan (21-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) faces Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) at UFC 300 on April 13 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in what UFC CEO Dana White has labeled a No. 1 contender fight.

If Tsarukyan can beat Oliveira, he will earn a rematch with UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag], who beat him in his promotional debut. Marcos “Parrumpa” DaMatta, who will be in Tsarukyan’s corner, believes Oliveira is even more dangerous than Makhachev.

“We don’t have a title shot, yes, but we have a legend,” DaMatta told MMA Junkie. “A guy that’s in my opinion more dangerous than Islam because he’s dangerous everywhere. He’s a good striker, he’s an amazing jiu-jitsu guy. In my opinion, he’s probably the best finisher in UFC history ahead of Royce (Gracie), ahead of Demian (Maia). So, we respect him a lot. We know we’re up for a tough task, but I believe that Arman has the will.”

Oliveira is the UFC’s all-time leader in finishes. “Parrumpa” thinks Tsarukyan needs to have a standout performance to leave no doubt that he’s next in line for the title.

“The game plan is to be complete,” DaMatta said. “The game plan for Charles has to be complete. I’m not going to lie to you. There’s a few things that we think we’re better at, and we’re going to try and put that in our strategy.

“To get a finish will be a statement to make sure that no one doubts that he’s No. 1 contender because Gaethje lost to Charles. If we go there and finish Charles or even beating Charles, I think there’s no way that they’re going to give the title shot to Gaethje before Arman.”

Makhachev wasn’t afraid to tussle on the ground with Oliveira when he submitted him in their title fight at UFC 280, and DaMatta expects Tsarukyan to have the same confidence.

“If Arman gets the chance to knock him down or take him down, he’s going to take advantage of it,” DaMatta said. “He’s not going to be afraid or step back up. No way. He’s going to go in there, be smart about it, don’t play jiu-jitsu with him. Play MMA with him.”

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