Arman Tsarukyan, a leading contender in the UFC’s lightweight division, has voiced his ambition to achieve a knockout victory over Islam Makhachev should they meet again. Their initial encounter in 2019 marked Tsarukyan’s UFC debut, where he ultimately lost a three-round unanimous decision to Makhachev. A planned rematch at UFC 311 last year, intended for the lightweight title, was unfortunately canceled when Tsarukyan had to pull out due to a hernia. Renato Moicano stepped in as a late replacement but was quickly submitted by Makhachev in the first round. Following four successful defenses of his lightweight title, Makhachev ascended to welterweight, capturing the championship at UFC 322 by defeating Jack Della Maddalena.
Later that same year, Tsarukyan secured a submission victory in the second round against Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar. Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev is slated to make his inaugural welterweight title defense this August. According to his coach, Marcos Parrumpa DaMatta of American Top Team, Arman Tsarukyan also has an upcoming fight scheduled, with details about his opponent and date expected to be officially announced shortly.
Arman Tsarukyan Vows Knockout Against Islam Makhachev in Future Rematch
While an immediate rematch between Arman Tsarukyan and Islam Makhachev seems improbable, Tsarukyan recently expressed his strong desire to knock out Makhachev. In a recent interview with M Hassan Yosufi, Tsarukyan acknowledged Makhachev as the toughest opponent he has ever encountered, praising the current pound-for-pound king’s exceptional skill set. He then declared, “I’ll just knock him [Islam Makhachev] out next time.” Tsarukyan further reiterated his respect for Makhachev’s abilities, stating, “Islam Makhachev is the hardest opponent I’ve faced, and I lost because of Islam’s skills.”
