Climbing the UFC lightweight rankings has felt both inevitable and impossible at the same time for Arman Tsarukyan.
The 27-year-old made his UFC debut on short notice back in 2019 against men’s pound-for-pound leader and UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. He dropped that bout, but his close fight with Makhachev showcased that Tsarukyan had all the makings of a future contender at 155 pounds.
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Over the course of his next eight bouts, Tsarukyan went 7-1, with his only loss coming in the form of a controversial decision to Mateusz Gamrot. With each step of the way, and after each win, Tsarukyan would campaign for a rematch with Makhachev or for a chance to compete with one of the elite lightweights in the world.
On December 2, Tsarukyan will finally get that chance when he faces stalwart contender Beneil Dariush in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Austin, Texas.
“I have been waiting for this moment for a long time,” Tsarukyan told UFC.com “I called out a lot of guys from the top five and I couldn’t get a fight and finally I got someone from the top five. I deserve it. I’m going to show December 2nd I can be in the top five, and I can be champion.”
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The truth is that the fight with Dariush has been in the works for quite a while. The two were supposed to tangle at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, but the bout was pushed and eventually landed as a main event in Texas.
Tsarukyan wasn’t thrilled that the bout kept getting pushed back, but he is happy that the UFC gave such an important fight the spotlight it deserves. He also believes that the extra two rounds will benefit his style and allows him to approach the fight with a little more patience.
“To be honest, I like five rounds because you don’t need to rush or do something crazy,” Tsarukyan said. “You can start very slow, and you have a lot of time to finish your opponent. I believe my conditioning is better and I’ll finish him.”
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One thing that makes Tsarukyan a unique matchup for anyone, even Dariush, is his well-rounded skill set. He can do it all, and he has the confidence to back it up. He’s seen Dariush as someone at the top for quite a while and sees himself as the new breed of contender.
“I’m the best young fighter in our division, and Beneil has more than 20 fights in UFC, and he has a lot of experience,” Tsarukyan said. “It’s a young wolf versus an old wolf and we’re going to see who wins.”
Finishing Dariush would be exactly the statement that Tsarukyan needs in order to command more attention as one of the best lightweights in the world.
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Sure, Tsarukyan knows that a win over Dariush might not be the fight that secures him a title shot, but an impressive win can’t hurt the American Top Team product’s case while he waits for things in the division to shake out.
The first thing that must happen is the rematch between former champion Charles Oliveira and Makhachev. Then there’s Justin Gaethje standing in the on-deck circle after his stunning knockout win over Dustin Poirier.
Getting his name into the title conversation is the goal, and he knows this is the perfect chance.
“Main events are always good because you get a lot of attention and everybody talks about it,” Tsarukyan said. “I will finish Beneil Dariush and show everybody that I deserve to fight for the title.”
UFC Fight Night: Dariush vs Tsarukyan took place live from Moody Center in Austin, Texas on December 2, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
