Arman Tsarukyan – about Islam Makhachev: “If he was not a champion, I would not mention his name”

Number four in the UFC lightweight rankings Arman Tsarukyan in an interview with , he spoke about his desire to have a rematch with Islam Makhachev .

On December 2 at the UFC tournament in Austin (Texas), Tsarukyan eliminated Beneil Dariush in the main fight of the evening. This victory brought the Russian-Armenian fighter to fourth place in the UFC lightweight rankings and became the third in a row after his defeat to Mateusz Gamrot on June 25, 2022. The current champion of the organization, Islam Makhachev, met Tsarukyan at the UFC in St. Petersburg in April 2019 and won by unanimous decision after three rounds.

— After the fight with Dariush, what was most controversial was your answer to the question “How would the second fight with Islam Makhachev have gone?” » You said that the ideal fight was to eliminate your opponent in the first minute. It seems that many understood it as “I will knock out Islam from the first minute”?

– Yes, it doesn’t really matter. I see that when I say something in English, it may be translated slightly differently in Russian. But in this case, everyone understood the main thing, everyone understands what I want to do.

— After the 2019 fight, you clearly achieved the status of “tough opponent of Islam Makhachev”. Do you now maintain warm communication with any of the Dagestan fighters?

— I am in contact with many. Both with the coaches and with the athletes. We meet in the same room, prepare food in the same kitchen. Everyone I have a normal relationship with understands why I say that. If he was not champion, I would not mention his name,” Tsarukyan told .

Live broadcasts of mixed martial arts tournaments can be seen on and Match! Fighter”, as well as on the sites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.