UFC Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan eyes massive return fight

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Mar 26, 2025, 13:22 IST

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Arman Tsarukyan is eyeing a return to the UFC lightweight division after recovering from a back injury. He recently hinted at a major fight announcement, targeting a comeback in late April or May. Tsarukyan is eager to fight top contenders like Justin Gaethje or Charles Oliveira to re-establish his status as a top contender.

UFC Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan eyes massive return fight

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Getty Images

Arman Tsarukyan has fought his way to the top of the UFC lightweight division, but after a crushing setback earlier this year, he’s ready to make a statement. The #1 contender was supposed to challenge Islam Makhachev for the title at UFC 311 but withdrew the day before due to a back injury. With that missed opportunity, UFC CEO Dana White made it clear: Tsarukyan would need to earn another shot. Now, the Armenian contender is teasing a major fight announcement as he eyes his return to the Octagon.

Arman Tsarukyan teases big fight announcement

For months, Arman Tsarukyan has been vocal about his desire to prove he’s the top contender in the world. Whether it’s a rematch with former champion Charles Oliveira or a showdown with Justin Gaethje, he’s open to any top-ranked opponent who stands in his way. While nothing is official yet, Tsarukyan recently hinted that his next fight is coming soon.
"Big news coming soon!" Tsarukyan took to Instagram, posting new training photos while hinting at his next move.

After recovering from his back injury, Tsarukyan is targeting a return in late April or May. In a recent interview with The Schmo, he made his intentions clear.
"I'm ready so if they wanna give me a fight in May or the end of April, it would be great," he said. "I wanna fight with contenders, someone from top five [whether] it's Gaethje or Olivera. Gaethje wants to fight for the title. It makes sense to fight with me because nobody is gonna give him a title fight. It's not gonna be fair that he's gonna get a title fight. He gotta beat me or Oliveira to get that title fight."
Gaethje, who is coming off a win over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313, has been in the title picture before but lost both of his previous championship opportunities. Meanwhile, Oliveira lost his #1 contender spot to Tsarukyan at UFC 300 but rebounded with a victory over Michael Chandler.
Also Read: Joe Rogan in awe of Alex Pereira’s knockout power ahead of UFC 313: “It’s a Gift”
With a four-fight win streak and a 9-1 UFC record since his debut loss to Makhachev, Tsarukyan remains one of the division’s most dangerous threats. Whether it’s Gaethje, Oliveira, or even Ilia Topuria, his next fight is sure to shake up the lightweight title picture.

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TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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