Arman Tsarukyan met with Joél Álvarez in New Jersey and suggested a potential rematch scenario. Tsarukyan joked about Álvarez's size and proposed that Álvarez take the 170-pound belt while he captures the 155-pound title, then they could fight again. The two previously fought in February 2022, when Tsarukyan won by TKO in the second round with ground-and-pound. Since that loss, Álvarez has remained undefeated, with that defeat being only his second in the UFC after an earlier loss to Damir Ismagulov. Álvarez now competes at welterweight, where he defeated Vicente Luque in October.
Arman Tsarukyan and Joél Álvarez crossed paths in New Jersey recently, and their meeting sparked a lighthearted conversation about a potential second fight between the two lightweights — one that could take place across different weight classes.
Tsarukyan, 29, currently sits at number one in the UFC lightweight rankings with a 23-3 record. The Russian fighter out of American Top Team is one of the division's most complete threats, averaging 3.85 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy while also generating an impressive 3.26 takedown attempts per 15 minutes. He was the one who stopped Álvarez the first time around, finishing him via TKO in the second round with ground-and-pound back in February 2022.
Álvarez, who is not listed in the lightweight rankings, has since moved up to welterweight, where he defeated Vicente Luque this past October. Luque, a 34-year-old American known as "The Silent Assassin," carries a 24-12-1 record and is considered a serious test for anyone at 170 pounds, making Álvarez's win there a notable statement. The Spanish fighter's only two UFC losses remain that earlier defeat to Damir Ismagulov and the TKO stoppage at the hands of Tsarukyan.
During their meeting, Tsarukyan joked about Álvarez's size and floated a playful scenario: Álvarez would claim the welterweight title, Tsarukyan would capture the lightweight belt, and the two could then meet again as champions.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked lightweight contender, making any title talk around him relevant to the 155-pound picture
- Álvarez's unbeaten run since the 2022 loss, capped by the Luque win, has re-established him as a credible welterweight threat
- A cross-divisional champion vs. champion matchup would be a rare and marquee scenario, though nothing official has been proposed
