UFC 311: Arman Tsarukyan feels he’s the only fighter who can defeat Islam Makhachev for lightweight gold
Arman Tsarukyan believes he’s the only one who can dethrone UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Tsarukyan and Makhachev will share the Octagon a second time to headline the first UFC pay-per-view of 2025. They will clash for the UFC Lightweight Championship on January 18th. The two had a competitive matchup in their first meeting back in 2019, and it was Makhachev who earned the unanimous decision victory.
Now, Tsarukyan feels if he can’t take the 155-pound gold from Makhachev, then no one can.
Arman Tsarukyan Says Only He Can Defeat Islam Makhachev
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto got a chance to speak to Arman Tsarukyan, who feels confident in his ability to become the new UFC lightweight champion. He’s also happy that Islam Makhachev has made it to the mountain top, so that he has a chance to avenge his 2019 loss on a grand stage.
“Yeah, he’s the best in our division and I think just me who can beat him right now,” Tsarukyan said.
When asked what his big takeaway was from his first meeting with Makhachev, Tsarukyan made it clear that he doesn’t view the 155-pound ruler as an unbeatable force.
“He’s not that good like people think,” Tsarukyan said. “People think he’s unbeatable and crazy wrestling, but I took him down when I was 22 years old.”
UFC 311 will be held inside the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The co-main event will see Merab Dvalishvili put his bantamweight gold at stake against Umar Nurmagomedov. Stick with us for the latest updates on the UFC 311 card, as well as live coverage on fight night.
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Topics:
Arman Tsarukyan Islam Makhachev UFC
