Arman Tsarukyan stated that a fight with Islam Makhachev is unlikely to happen as Makhachev will retire after a couple more fights. Tsarukyan declared he will take over the sport within a year and become the face of the UFC. He believes that when people see him, they will think of the UFC, and he only needs to capture the title. Dana White commented that he likes Tsarukyan's current activity level and that Arman just needs to avoid acting like a "maniac" to secure a title shot. The post also mentioned that Robert Whittaker denied rumors about fighting Magomed Ankalaev.
Arman Tsarukyan has made his ambitions clear, declaring that he intends to become the face of the UFC within a year and that capturing the lightweight title is all that stands between him and that goal.
Tsarukyan addressed the prospect of a rematch with reigning champion Islam Makhachev, expressing doubt that the fight will materialise. He suggested Makhachev, who carries a 28-1 record and holds the welterweight title at 34 years old, is nearing the end of his career and will retire after only a couple more fights. Tsarukyan went further, stating that he expects to take over the sport entirely and that fans will soon associate his name directly with the UFC brand.
UFC President Dana White weighed in on Tsarukyan's prospects, saying he approves of the fighter's current activity level. White added that Tsarukyan simply needs to avoid behaving like a "maniac" if he wants to secure a title shot, framing it as a matter of conduct rather than performance.
Separately, middleweight contender Robert Whittaker has pushed back against rumours linking him to a fight with light heavyweight number-one contender Magomed Ankalaev. Whittaker, ranked sixth at middleweight at 35 years old, holds a 27-9 record and lands an impressive 4.39 significant strikes per minute. Ankalaev, ranked fifth pound-for-pound at 34, carries a 21-2-1 record and stands six-foot-three with a 75-inch reach. Whittaker offered no further detail on his denial.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's comments increase pressure on the UFC to book a lightweight title fight sooner rather than later
- Makhachev's potential retirement timeline, if accurate, would reshape the entire lightweight division
- Whittaker's denial closes off a cross-divisional matchup that had drawn speculation
