Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Arman Tsarukyan during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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Arman Tsarukyan Doubts Islam Makhachev’s Unbeatable Hype Ahead Of UFC 311 Title Fight

Arman Tsarukyan hints at cracks in Makhachev’s perfect armor; ready to expose the truth!

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Arman Tsarukyan during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The UFC‘s lightweight division has always been a shark tank filled with killers and dreamers. From Anthony Pettis to Khabib Nurmagomedov, this weight class has produced some of the best fighters in history.

Now, as fans look ahead to UFC 311, a fresh chapter is being written. And some spicy trash talk and a redemption story arc are in the mix as well. Arman Tsarukyan has given his unfiltered thoughts on the apparent dominance of Islam Makhachev.

Makhachev vs Tsarukyan and Dvalishvili vs Nurmagomedov is LIVE January 18th from @intuitdome, California! #UFC311 pic.twitter.com/XZuAFUYAyC
— danawhite (@danawhite) December 5, 2024

Also Read: Islam Makhachev’s Humor Knows No Bounds!

Arman Tsarukyan Doesn’t Think Islam Makhachev Is ‘Unbeatable’

Tsarukyan isn’t buying into the myth of Islam Makhachev’s invincibility, and he’s not shy about saying it. The Armenian-born fighter has been down this road before, facing Makhachev back in 2019 when he was just a wide-eyed 22-year-old rookie taking a fight on 3-weeks notice.

Despite losing that night, Tsarukyan did something that boosted his confidence – he took Makhachev down. That is like going into the lion’s den and surviving to tell the tale! Now, five years wiser and riding a wave of impressive victories, Tsarukyan is singing a different tune about the champion.

“He’s not that good like people think. People think he’s unbeatable, like crazy wrestling, but like I took him down when I was 22 years old,” said Tsarukyan in an interview with Brett Okamoto for ESPN MMA.

The young challenger pointed out that while everyone was treating the champ like he was some unbeatable force of nature, he had seen the human side of Makhachev up close and personal.

Arman Tsarukyan has been dreaming about the belt for a long time. His confidence in himself comes from a place of experience, having felt Makhachev’s pressure and survived it. Plus, his wrestling credentials aren’t just for show; they’re the tools he believes will help him solve the puzzle that is Islam Makhachev.

Islam Makhachev is coming off an impressive 5th-round D’Arce choke win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. Arman Tsarukyan, on the other hand, battled Charles Oliveira for 3 rounds to get the split decision victory.

Now, these two lightweight titans will face each other once again after five years, this time at the highest level. The prize is the coveted lightweight title and the bragging rights that come with it!

(Image Credits: Mark J. Relibas – Imagn)

Arman Tsarukyan

Islam Makhachev

Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!