Arman Tsarukyan stated that his potential fight with Islam Makhachev is unlikely to happen, believing Makhachev will retire after a couple more bouts. Tsarukyan claimed he will capture the sport within a year and become the face of the UFC, with only the title remaining to achieve that status. Dana White commented that he likes Tsarukyan's current activity and said that to secure a title shot, Tsarukyan just needs to avoid acting like a "maniac." White also referred to Tsarukyan as a "tough bastard." The post also includes various other news items: the author is tired of the back-and-forth between Islam and Ilia, Paulo Costa expressed he loves fighting Russians, Robert Whittaker denied rumors about fighting Ankalaev, Michael Bisping and Daniel Cormier will be coaches on the next season of TUF, Khamzat Chimaev submitted "Mouse" in 40 seconds, and Josh Hocket has been acting strangely and confronting fighters in the lobby.
Arman Tsarukyan has made clear he intends to become the face of the UFC within a year, while also casting doubt on a long-anticipated showdown with lightweight champion Islam Makhachev ever actually taking place.
Speaking publicly, Tsarukyan expressed his belief that Makhachev will retire after just a couple more fights, effectively ruling out a future meeting between the two. He argued that capturing the lightweight title is the only remaining step he needs to cement himself as the sport's central figure. UFC president Dana White weighed in on Tsarukyan's recent activity, saying he approves of the Armenian-born fighter's busy schedule and that a title shot is well within reach — provided Tsarukyan keeps his behavior in check and avoids acting like a, in White's words, "maniac." White also described Tsarukyan as a "tough bastard."
Makhachev, 34, currently holds the welterweight title according to the AgentMMA database and carries a 28-1-0 record. The Russian southpaw fights out of Eagles MMA and ranks at the top of the pound-for-pound list. He lands 2.63 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy and adds 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him one of the most complete fighters in the sport.
Elsewhere in the news cycle, middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev added another dominant performance to his resume, submitting his opponent known as "Mouse" in just 40 seconds. Chimaev, 32, carries a 15-1-0 record and sits ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound. Fighting out of Allstars Training Center, the UAE-based Borz averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and converts at 60 percent striking accuracy, making the rapid finish entirely consistent with his track record.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan publicly positioning himself as the face of UFC raises the stakes around the lightweight title picture
- Makhachev retirement speculation, if accurate, could reshape the division's near-term trajectory
- Chimaev's 40-second submission keeps him firmly in contention at middleweight, where he already holds the division's top ranking
