Tsarukyan Says His Lightweight Title Shot Is Next, Early Next Year

Arman Tsarukyan says the UFC has told him his next fight will be for the lightweight championship, with the bout expected at the beginning of next year. He shared the update with MMA Fighting's Mike Heck ahead of his RAF 14 matchup with Dillon Danis, adding that he was given nothing more precise than that time frame.

The picture at 155 pounds had looked uncertain. His September knockout of Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 appeared to make him the next challenger, but champion Justin Gaethje is weighing retirement, and there have been rumors of an immediate Gaethje rematch with Ilia Topuria that would leave Tsarukyan without a title fight.

It would not be his first booking for the belt. Tsarukyan was scheduled to face Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 311 last year, but health issues pulled him from the event a day before it took place.

A drop to featherweight was his fallback. "If they wouldn't give me a title at 155, I would go down [to 145 pounds], but as I heard, I'm going to fight for the title next," he said. "So I'm going to be in my division and stay there. I don't want to move anywhere, because I feel like lightweight is the perfect weight class for me." He added that he wants to be the best lightweight ever and break every record in the division, and noted how many big names and contenders it has.

"Batman" currently holds a six-fight winning streak in the UFC. He also competes often for Real American Freestyle and streams, but his focus is building a UFC legacy, and once he has the belt he hopes to be busier in the octagon than outside it.

"I know when I get that belt, I want to defend as much as possible," Tsarukyan said. "So when I get the belt, first day I'm gonna be so happy, but second day is going to the same, and I want to fight as much as possible."

Source: MMA Fighting