Arman Tsarukyan plans to KO Charles Oliveira and earn June title fight with Islam Makhachev: “Gaethje has to wait until October”

UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan plans to earn a title shot against Islam Makhachev this summer by knocking out Charles Oliveira.

At UFC 300, Arman Tsarukyan will face the biggest test of his career. He is set to lock horns with Charles Oliveira in what has been dubbed a number one contender bout. The winner is expected to take on Islam Makhachev later this year.

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Makhachev recently laid out his plan to battle Justin Gaethje in June, before facing the Tsarukyan/Oliveira winner later in the year.

In Arman’s mind, though, things are going to go a bit differently to that, and it all starts with ‘Do Bronx’.

Tsarukyan’s plan

“If you know wrestling and jiu-jitsu, how to defend, it’s a completely different game,” Tsarukyan said in an interview on Cormier’s YouTube channel. “If we’re going to do jiu-jitsu without ground and pound, of course, he can maybe get any submissions. But when you punch someone, he can’t think about like, ‘Oh, I got to get his arm,’ or whatever. He’s got to defend himself, you know? That’s why it’s so difficult. Especially with high-level fighters right now.

“To choke someone is so difficult, especially when I train with high-level fighters. To choke them you’ve got to beat them for 15-20 minutes, and then when he gets tired, you can finish. First two rounds, it’s almost impossible to choke high-level fighters. … I believe that I can do that in the first round, and I want to show everybody I’m the best here. My goal is to go there, and knock him out in the first round to show everybody I deserve that title fight.”
Tsarukyan then gave his thoughts on the idea of Islam Makhachev vs Justin Gaethje in June.

“I think he should wait (for) us, because we are going to be contender No. 1,” Tsarukyan said. “Hopefully they’re not going to book that fight for the summer, and wait (for) us. After, when I win, I’m going to fight with Islam, and then we can talk about Gaethje. I feel like we are next and Gaethje has to wait (for) us. Gathje has to wait (until) October. OK, we’re going to fight for the title in the summer.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

Can you picture this scenario playing out for Arman Tsarukyan? Let us know, BJPENN Nation!