[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] hopes to fight for the UFC title, regardless of [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] is part of the equation.
Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) was awarded the lightweight champion title by Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) just two months later beating Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in April, but declined due to short notice. Makhachev faced Dustin Poirier at UFC 302, submitting him in the fifth round.
Tsarukyan is expected to get back into things with Makhachev next, but with Makhachev sidelined with a hand ligament injury, he may have to wait. The challenger hoped to challenge Makhachev at UFC 308 on October 26 in Abu Dhabi.
“Then my manager told me that I would fight in October against Islam,” said Tsarukyan Send radio. “And then he said he got hurt and now they’ve moved this fight to December or maybe next year.
“So of course it’s sad because I’ve already started training really hard, I’m in shape and I thought we were going to fight in October, but it is what it is. it doesn’t matter. I’ll wait and train as much as I can.”
If the wait extends until next year, Tsarukyan wants to compete for an interim title.
“If Islam can’t fight this year, I would definitely like to fight for the interim title, and it doesn’t matter who will be in front of me,” said Tsarukyan. “Dustin Poirier, he’s a solid fighter and has a lot of experience. Yeah, that would be great. Dustin, (Justin) Gaethje, Michael Chandler too. But my focus is on Islam.”
Makhachev has made it clear that he is not too interested in a rematch with Tsarukyan after defeating him in 2019, but would fight him if offered. Tsarukyan, who has won nine of the last 10, finds his comments ridiculous.
“He should fight Paddy Pimblett – maybe he deserves it more than me because I’m No. 1,” Tsarukyan said. “Because he might lose to me, that’s why he’s not interested in me. … I believe in myself. I’m going to go out there and knock him out and that’s it.”
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This article was originally published on MMA Junkie: Arman Tsarukyan open to fighting for interim UFC title if Islam Makhachev isn’t ready by this year
