UFC 311: Arman Tsarukyan has developed a “new technique” for Islam Makhachev fight

Arman Tsarukyan has something special prepared for Islam Makhachev at UFC 311.

The card goes down this Saturday in Los Angeles, and Tsarukyan will challenge Makhachev for the coveted lightweight title in the main event. Makhachev is considered the top pound-for-pound fighter in MMA at present, so Tsarukyan faces an uphill battle, but he says he has developed a new technique he believes will help him win the fight.

“Ah, my new technique,” Tsarukyan told Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman on the Pound 4 Pound podcast (h/t MMA Fighting). “How can I share with you? This is a good move. Good things and he’s going to be surprised. I’ve never done it before.

“I train every day,” he added. “I want to find something new, to do something that I’ve never done before.”

Makhachev and Tsarukyan have met once before, back in 2019, in the latter’s UFC debut. Makhachev won that fight by decision, but Tsarukyan held his own. Tsarukyan has been red hot since, defeating the likes of Beneil Dariush and Charles Oliveira to earn his title shot.

He claims he’s changed a lot since he first met Makhachev.

“Of course, I’ve changed so much,” Tsarukyan said. “I have improved all my skills, but the best thing I feel it’s experience from the fights. When you fight, you go there, you do some mistakes during the fight and then go to the gym and work on your new skills and after each fight, I feel like I’m getting better, better, better. The best thing I from the fight I got experience.

“Especially UFC experience. When you fight the first time, you’re super excited, you’re nervous, but now I’m already used to it, for the crowd, for the people, for the media. Now it’s like a job — just go there and have fun and fight.”

Arman Tsarukyan breaks down Islam Makhachev fight

Tsarukyan also gave a quick breakdown of his rematch with Makhachev, and explained why he believes he’ll be one step ahead on the night of the fight.

“Islam is so smart,” he said. “He’s so well-rounded. He can strike, he can clinch, he can wrestle, but he has weaknesses as well. His conditioning not the best. So when he fights with a wrestle guy, when it’s going to be difficult to take down someone, he’s going to waste energy. His boxing is better than his kicks. I feel my kicks are way better than his. He is so smart as well, he knows how to move, how to relax, where you’ve got to drop your gloves, he has a lot of tricky things.

“On the clinch, he has good movement. He’s ready when you move and then takes you down, when you knee him and he flips you. He’s so smart, well-rounded fighter, and I’m just going to do my best there and I know how I can beat and I’ll go there I just feel my hands, power, I just can’t wait to show everybody what is the new version of Arman Tsarukyan.”