Arman Tsarukyan was alleged to face Islam Makhachev for the light-weight title earlier this yr, however now he simply watched Makhachev seize the welterweight title at UFC 322, and he was fairly impressed.
Now, Tsarukyan seems to be to get again to the highest of the 155-pound championship queue is as faces Dan Hooker in the principle occasion of Saturday’s UFC Qatar card in a pivotal matchup. The scheduled five-round tilt takes place at Ali Bin Hamad al-Attiyah Enviornment within the promotion’s debut in Doha, and the cardboard streams on ESPN+.
Tsarukyan noticed what Makhachev did in his dominant determination victory over Jack Della Maddalena at Madison Sq. Backyard this previous Saturday, and never solely can he tip his cap, however Tsarukyan believes defeating Makhachev will probably be fairly the feat for anybody — at both 155 or 170.
“An excellent efficiency,” Tsarukyan instructed MMA Combating. “I used to be shocked how he beat [Della Maddalena] really easy. It says what Islam stage [is at right now], you realize, he’s doing totally different stage proper now. He’s [in] his prime.
“And I don’t know who can cease him proper now, [at] 170 even.”
Tsarukyan was slated to headline UFC 311 in opposition to Makhachev for the light-weight championship in January, however a again harm compelled Tsarukyan out of the bout the day earlier than the occasion. The 29-year-old confronted loads of backlash from the fan base, and even had UFC CEO Dana White saying the top-ranked contender must “combat his manner again” to a title shot.
Whereas having to withdraw from his first title combat was troublesome, Tsarukyan revealed the most important lesson he took from it.
“Don’t overtrain,” Tsarukyan mentioned. “That’s an important factor that I discovered concerning the pull out.
“That’s why I damage myself at all times. That’s why I attempt to do loads of climbing once I need to practice, or do one thing totally different, [like] stroll or do bike, and don’t do loads of wrestling that I used to. Making an attempt to avoid wasting my my power.”
With Makhachev out of the image, the division seems to be a bit totally different with Ilia Topuria holding the 155-pound title following Topuria’s first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June.
Tsarukyan is joyful to play the hand the light-weight division has been dealt, however the place he sits, he needs issues stayed the way in which they have been at first of the yr.
“Yeah, [it’s] fairly good [with Topuria as lightweight champ],” Tsarukyan defined. “[It’s] fairly good, yeah. However I want Islam was a champion in our division… as a result of he takes fights with contenders and fights with all people, however Ilia’s looking for straightforward fights for him.”
