Arman
Tsarukyan is making himself available in case the
Ultimate Fighting Championship needs him.
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The promotion’s summer calender features prominent lightweight
bouts atop both UFC 317
(Ilia
Topuria vs. Charles
Oliveira ) and
UFC 318 (Dustin
Poirier vs. Max
Holloway). Tsarukyan, who hasn’t fought since April 2024, is
willing to serve as a backup fighter for either headlining
bout.
“I am not sure if that’s needed, but if they offer me that, I will
definitely back it up,” Tsarukyan said of the UFC 317 featured bout following his
victory over Patricky
Freire in a grappling match. “I will be ready. I am flying back
to the U.S. now and will be staying there in case anyone is injured
and [if] the UFC asks me if I am ready, I will say yes.”
Tsarukyan defeated Oliveira at UFC 300 to become the lightweight
division’s No. 1 contender. However, he lost his opportunity when
he pulled out of a proposed booking against Islam
Makhachev at UFC 311
due to a back injury. With Makhachev vacating the belt, Topuria and
Oliveira will vie for the vacant 155-pound strap during
International Fight Week.
If he isn’t needed there, Tsarukyan is also ready to step up at UFC
318, where Poirier will make his final Octagon appearance in a
rematch against Holloway in New Orleans on July 19. Tsarukyan knows
his reputation might need some repairing after pulling out of UFC
311, and he’s willing to do wait it takes to improve that
perception.
“Absolutely positive [I’d say yes],” Tsarukyan said. “I need to
take chances now. I got injured and this injury got misinterpreted.
The doctor didn’t let everybody know what really happened, so some
people still think I ducked that fight.
“Now I just need to get back on track, so I’m going to do whatever
the UFC tells me to do.”