Arman Tsarukyan might have felt disappointed about not competing for the vacant UFC lightweight championship at UFC 317.
Following Islam Makhachev`s decision to vacate his lightweight title, the fight for the strap at UFC 317 was set between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira in the main event.
Leading up to the significant bout, it was announced that veteran 155-pound contender Arman Tsarukyan would serve as the official backup fighter for the title clash, making weight in case either fighter was unable to compete.
However, potentially looking ahead to who he might face next if victorious, Ilia Topuria stated that he would not fight Tsarukyan after UFC 317, claiming the Armenian fighter needed another win to earn a title opportunity.
Topuria has also been rumored to be interested in a potential fight against Paddy Pimblett, fueled by their ongoing rivalry.
Despite Pimblett securing a notable win over Michael Chandler earlier this year, Topuria has admitted that Pimblett is not currently positioned for an immediate shot at the championship either.
Tsarukyan himself was close to a major fight (potentially for a title or #1 contender status) at UFC 311 earlier this year, but he withdrew from the bout just a day prior, a decision that reportedly frustrated UFC President Dana White.
Now, ahead of his role as the backup fighter for the UFC 317 main event this Saturday, Arman Tsarukyan has expressed his willingness to face `The Baddy` in a number one contender fight next.
Pimblett and Tsarukyan have engaged in verbal exchanges online in recent months, making a potential matchup seem logical for both fighters in the lightweight division.
Speaking to Red Corner MMA, Tsarukyan commented, “Paddy looked very good in his last fight and now we can say he can beat top 10 fighters. But I want to fight as soon as possible, so maybe he wants to fight at the end of this year, but I wanna fight this summer and then the end of the year.”
Tsarukyan added that he would accept a fight against Pimblett in the summer, stating, “Yeah I`d take that because he has a big name… It makes sense.”
Discussions Continue Regarding Makhachev`s Lightweight Future
Amidst the current uncertainty surrounding the next challenger for the lightweight title, Islam Makhachev has maintained that he intends to remain in or return to the lightweight division after his next scheduled fight.
Adding further complexity to the divisional landscape, fellow lightweight contender Justin Gaethje recently suggested he might retire if he is not granted the next title shot.
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