Justin Gaethje has publicly criticized Arman Tsarukyan for pulling out of his fight against Islam Makhachev the night before the bout, calling the reported back injury implausible and suggesting Tsarukyan may have simply failed to make weight. Gaethje warned that any fighter who uses injury as leverage for more money should never receive another title shot. On the subject of the truck Tsarukyan had promised him, Gaethje said Tsarukyan tried to give him a cheap vehicle rather than the specific truck he wanted, and Gaethje rejected it after Tsarukyan had already purchased it.
Justin Gaethje has gone on the record with sharp criticism of Arman Tsarukyan following Tsarukyan's withdrawal from his lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev the night before the bout was scheduled to take place, and he used the opportunity to address the truck controversy that had lingered between the two fighters.
Gaethje, the 37-year-old lightweight champion from the United States, found Tsarukyan's reported back injury difficult to believe. The Genesis Training Center product suggested a more likely explanation was that Tsarukyan failed to make weight, and he delivered a broader warning to the division: any fighter who uses a fabricated injury as a bargaining chip to squeeze out more money should be permanently removed from title contention. Gaethje carries a 28-5 record and averages 6.48 significant strikes per minute, a volume that reflects the all-action style that has made him one of the most prominent figures in the 155-pound class.
Tsarukyan, ranked second in the lightweight division, holds a 23-3 record and is 29 years old. Fighting out of American Top Team, the Russia-born contender mixes an active striking game — landing 3.85 significant strikes per minute — with an equally busy takedown attack of 3.26 per 15 minutes. He had been positioned as a legitimate threat to Makhachev's title before the withdrawal upended the card.
Makhachev, the reigning welterweight champion listed at 29-1, carries one of the sport's most dominant résumés, connecting on 58 percent of his significant strikes while averaging more than three takedowns per 15 minutes.
On the truck matter, Gaethje said Tsarukyan attempted to hand over a cheap vehicle that bore no resemblance to the specific truck Gaethje had been promised. Gaethje turned it down even after Tsarukyan had already completed the purchase.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's withdrawal and the circumstances surrounding it could affect his standing as a future title challenger
- Gaethje's public pressure raises the stakes for how the UFC handles fighters who pull out close to fight night
- The personal friction between Gaethje and Tsarukyan adds an additional layer to any potential future matchup between the two lightweights
