Justin Gaethje publicly rejected the pickup truck Arman Tsarukyan intended to give him as a gesture after winning money betting on their fight, saying on the Joe Rogan podcast that he would not accept a gift from Tsarukyan and that no handshake deal was made. Tsarukyan responded on a livestream, explaining he had coordinated with Gaethje's manager on the truck color and had already received the vehicle, only to see Gaethje's refusal. Tsarukyan announced he will instead raffle the truck off to his followers and added that he looks forward to beating Gaethje in their upcoming fight.
A gesture of goodwill between two lightweight rivals has turned into a public dispute, with Arman Tsarukyan announcing he will raffle off a pickup truck after champion Justin Gaethje publicly refused to accept it as a gift.
Tsarukyan, 29, had intended to give Gaethje the truck after winning money betting on their fight, framing it as a show of respect. On a livestream, the Russian fighter explained he had coordinated the details with Gaethje's manager — including the vehicle's color — and had already taken possession of the truck. He expressed clear frustration upon learning Gaethje had rejected it. Tsarukyan, ranked number one in the lightweight division with a record of 23-3, fights out of American Top Team and carries one of the more versatile skill sets in the weight class, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a 50 percent striking accuracy.
Gaethje, the reigning lightweight champion, addressed the situation on the Joe Rogan podcast, stating he would not accept a gift from Tsarukyan and that no handshake agreement was ever made between the two. The 37-year-old from the United States holds a 28-5 record and is one of the division's most aggressive strikers, landing 6.48 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 70-inch reach, he fights out of Genesis Training Center.
With the truck now headed to one of Tsarukyan's followers through a raffle, the champion-contender relationship has cooled considerably. Tsarukyan made clear the episode has not dampened his competitive motivation, stating on the livestream that he is looking forward to beating Gaethje when they meet in the cage.
Why it matters
- The public back-and-forth adds friction to what was already one of the most anticipated matchups in the lightweight division
- Tsarukyan is the number one ranked contender and represents the clearest challenger to Gaethje's title
- A style matchup between Gaethje's high-volume striking and Tsarukyan's elite takedown output makes for a compelling contrast on paper
