Las Vegas, NV — Lightweight Arman Tsarukyan has no doubt that a win at UFC 300 will land him a title shot next.
In a way, that makes sense. Tsarukyan’s fight with Charles Oliveira has been billed as a title eliminator since day one. But these things have a way of hitting bumps in the road as far as MMA history goes. Already, there are timing concerns, and talk of Dustin Poirier jumping the line.
Then there’s the BMF title fight at UFC 300, which also comes in the lightweight division. A strong performance from either Justin Gaethje or Max Holloway could also, in theory, see them become the UFC‘s golden child, lined up for a fight with champ Islam Makhachev.
Still, Tsarukyan (21-3) believes it will be a title fight next, he said during this week’s UFC 300 media day. “Definitely. Dana White said, who wins this fight is going to fight for the title.”
Arman Tsarukyan has done his share of trash talk heading into the fight with Oliveira, dismissing the former champ’s abilities outside of his ground game. To hear the American Top Team based fighter tell it, it all comes down to promotion.
“I gotta talk about him, because he doesn’t talk about me. I gotta talk about him, to get people to watch this fight more. That’s why I’ve gotta say something about him,” stated Tsarukyan, speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press. “I’m just trying to get more fans to watch this fight.”
As for what sets him apart from other lightweights, “I’m going to do my work. What I was training so long [to do]. Try to be well-rounded, try to strike, wrestle, grappling. I want to be best in every position, and I feel like my skills, those skills I have. I can strike, I can wrestle, I can grapple. So I’m gonna tell him what we’re gonna do during the fight.”
Would he go to the ground with Oliveira, with all that in mind? “No problem,” replied Tsarukyan.
Ahead of UFC 299 last month, Tsarukyan was caught up in an infamous Q&A incident where a boorish fan decided to ask if he’d sleep with teammate Kayla Harrison. The question came on International Women’s Day, with Harrison an outspoken figure when it comes to sexual assault. Tsarukyan, answering the question in Russian, appeared to play along, suggesting he would sleep with the Olympian, while in English calling it a “stupid question.”
Harrison later learned of the full answer via social media, but apparently all is well between ATT teammates. “We talked to each other after that, and she understood what I mean, and now we’re good,” Tsarukyan said on Wednesday.
Watch the full UFC 300 media day appearance by Arman Tsarukyan above.
