Arman Tsarukyan announced he will raffle off a pickup truck to his followers after Justin Gaethje publicly refused to accept it as a gift. On the Joe Rogan podcast, Gaethje stated he would not accept the truck since no handshake deal was made and he had no interest in driving a vehicle bought for him by another fighter. Tsarukyan responded on stream, saying he had already arranged the truck with Gaethje's manager before seeing the podcast clip, and added he will now give it away to a fan before defeating Gaethje in their upcoming bout.
A gift that was not wanted has turned into a giveaway for the fans. Arman Tsarukyan announced on stream that he will raffle off a pickup truck to one of his followers after lightweight champion Justin Gaethje publicly rejected the vehicle on the Joe Rogan podcast.
Gaethje made his position clear on the podcast, saying he would not accept a truck from a fellow fighter when no handshake agreement had been made and he had no desire to drive a vehicle purchased for him by an opponent. Tsarukyan responded by explaining he had already arranged the truck through Gaethje's manager before seeing the podcast clip. With the gift refused, the 29-year-old Russian and number-one ranked lightweight contender says the truck will now go to a fan — and he added that he fully intends to beat Gaethje when the two meet in the cage.
Gaethje, the current lightweight champion, enters the buildup at 37 years old carrying a 28-5-0 record. The American fighter out of Genesis Training Center is one of the sport's most prolific strikers, landing 6.48 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 58 percent accuracy.
Tsarukyan, training out of American Top Team, holds a 23-3-0 record and brings a contrasting skill set. The Russian stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach — longer than the champion's 70-inch frame — and averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a constant threat on the feet and on the mat.
Why it matters
- Gaethje's title is on the line against the division's top-ranked contender
- The contrasting styles — Gaethje's elite striking volume versus Tsarukyan's takedown pressure — set up a compelling matchup
- The public back-and-forth has added a personal edge to what was already a high-stakes fight
