Justin Gaethje does not seem keen on Arman Tsarukyan Arman Tsarukyan has been in the title conversation for over two years now with his only opportunity going horribly wrong with Arman pulling out the day before his fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 Current lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has a conspiracy that Arman was not going to make weight and dropped out using a back injury as a excuse for the pull out Many fans want Arman to be next for the title, are you one of them?
Justin Gaethje has publicly cast doubt on Arman Tsarukyan's reasons for withdrawing from UFC 311, suggesting the No. 2-ranked lightweight may have pulled out to avoid a weight miss rather than due to the reported back injury.
Tsarukyan was set to challenge for the lightweight title at UFC 311, a bout that would have been the biggest moment of his career. The 29-year-old Russian, who trains out of American Top Team, has been firmly in the title picture for more than two years and carries a record of 23-3. Standing five-foot-seven with a notably long 72-inch reach, Tsarukyan is a dangerous grappler who averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes — one of the more formidable wrestling outputs in the division. He withdrew the day before the fight, citing a back injury, though that explanation has not sat well with everyone.
Gaethje, the current UFC lightweight champion, is among the skeptics. The 37-year-old American from Genesis Training Center holds a record of 28-5 and has built his reign on relentless forward pressure and elite striking output — 6.48 significant strikes landed per minute at 58 percent accuracy. He has floated the theory that Tsarukyan was going to miss weight and used the injury as cover to avoid the fallout of stepping on the scale short.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's pull-out leaves the lightweight title picture unsettled heading into 2026
- Gaethje's public skepticism adds friction to any future matchup between the two fighters
- If the weight-miss theory has merit, it could affect how the UFC and fans view Tsarukyan's title worthiness
- The No. 2 contender will need to re-establish his path to a rescheduled championship opportunity
The comments ensure that any future meeting between Gaethje and Tsarukyan will carry an added layer of personal tension, regardless of how the next title bout ultimately takes shape.
