Arman
Tsarukyan doesn’t want to drop down to featherweight unless
it’s for a title shot.
Tsarukyan (23-3) recently revealed that he is considering a return
in June, with the opponent yet to be decided. Tsarukyan has been
teasing a move to featherweight for a while now and doubled down on
it. However, Tsarukyan will only consider dropping down a weight
class to challenge Alexander
Volkanovski for the title.
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Tsarukyan’s podcast host suggested that “Ahalkalakets” could be
booked against Movsar
Evloev, where the winner would challenge Volkanovski. However,
Tsarukyan clarified that he would prefer staying at lightweight
unless offered a title shot at featherweight. Tsarukyan believes
the lightweight division is more stacked, filled with more stars
and opportunities to make more money.
Weighing His Options
“Roughly around June. They’re still deciding who I’ll fight,”
Tsarukyan told IbraTV. “It’s even possible that I drop down to
[featherweight] to fight for the title… Ideally, I would prefer to
stay in my weight class at lightweight. But if that doesn’t happen,
if they offer me a title fight at featherweight, then why not?
Otherwise, there’s no point of fighting at featherweight against
just anyone; I’d rather fight in my own division. Especially since
in out division there are way more names, way more stars to fight,
make more money, and gain more experience.”
Tsarukyan went to the
UFC bad books after pulling out of a scheduled lightweight
title fight against Islam
Makhachev last year. Tsarukyan has since been deliberately
sidelined from the lightweight title picture, even when an interim
title fight was booked. Tsarukyan has been staying active in
wrestling competitions as his UFC career stands at a
crossroads.