If Arman Tsarukyan can become UFC champion, he wants his first title defense against a former foe.
Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) is expected to challenge lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) Jan. 18 at UFC 311 from Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., though nothing is confirmed. He dropped his UFC debut to Makhachev in a competitive decision loss in April 2019.
Tsarukyan earned his title shot after edging out Charles Oliveira in a split decision win at UFC 300. If he can avenge his loss to Makhachev and claim the title, he wants to run things back with Oliveira and beat him in more definitive fashion.
“Of course, I’m down for everybody,” Tsarukyan told TNT Sports. “Charles Oliveira is one of the best in our division. I feel like Islam, Charles Oliveira and me are the top three in the lightweight division right now because Charles beat everyone in the top 15.
“I beat everybody, too. Islam is the champ, pound-for-pound, but I’m down for everybody. But when I become champion, I would like to fight with Charles because our fight was pretty close, people think it was pretty close, and I would like to finish him.”
Oliveira (34-10 MMA, 22-10 UFC) rebounded from his loss to Tsarukyan with a dominant five-round decision win over Michael Chandler at UFC 309. The former champion called for a title shot after his win.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.
