Tsarukyan says a couple Covington fights would match his UFC pay

Arman Tsarukyan has gone on record stating that just a couple of fights at Colby Covington's pay scale would be enough to match his current total earnings inside the UFC, shining a light on the financial frustrations felt even by fighters at the very top of the lightweight division.

Tsarukyan, 29, holds a 23-3-0 professional record and is currently ranked number one in the UFC lightweight division, making him one of the most prominent contenders in the promotion. Fighting out of American Top Team, the Russian striker lands 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy rate, while also averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes — a well-rounded profile that has pushed him to the top of one of the UFC's most competitive weight classes.

Covington, 38, carries a 17-5-0 record and competes out of MMA Masters. The American welterweight known as "Chaos" has long been one of the UFC's higher-profile draws, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 3.81 significant strikes landed per minute. His marquee matchups have reportedly commanded substantial paydays relative to much of the roster.

Tsarukyan's comments underline a broader conversation about fighter compensation within the UFC. The implication that a fighter ranked first in his division would require only two Covington-level purses to equal his cumulative UFC earnings suggests a significant disparity in how pay is distributed across the roster.

Why it matters

• Tsarukyan is the number one lightweight contender, yet his comments suggest top-contender pay remains far below that of marquee welterweight names.
• The remarks add to growing public pressure on the UFC over fighter pay structures.
• A fighter of Tsarukyan's statistical output and divisional standing drawing this contrast puts the compensation debate in concrete terms.