Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship introduces Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump during the final day of the Republican National Convention.

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Dana White Addresses Backlash Over Arman Tsarukyan Being Passed Over For Interim Lightweight Title Shot

Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship introduces Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump during the final day of the Republican National Convention.

Promoters always have explanations ready when fans question controversial matchmaking decisions that ignore clear number one contenders. Sometimes those explanations make sense, other times they feel like convenient excuses to justify pushing marketable fighters. The UFC headed by Dana White operates as both sport and entertainment business. This has created constant tension between merit-based progression and profitable storylines. Fans want fairness, but profits drive decisions.

Arman Tsarukyan dominated Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar, cementing his status as the lightweight division’s top contender. Everyone assumed he would get the next title shot when Ilia Topuria announced personal issues would delay his return. Instead, the UFC booked Paddy Pimblett vs Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight championship at UFC 324 on January 24. Dana White recently reacted to questions about Arman Tsarukyan being snubbed for the interim lightweight title, explaining why the Armenian fighter wasn’t considered.

Dana White Reveals The War Room Decision

White faced reporters following UFC 323 on Saturday night, fielding inevitable questions about recent matchmaking decisions that rubbed fans the wrong way. Pimblett vs Gaethje for an interim title isn’t the only booking generating backlash. The UFC also announced a rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes for UFC 325 on January 31, bypassing undefeated contender Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev entirely.

When initially asked to defend his matchmaking choices, White kept his response characteristically blunt. He stated that’s the way it played out in the war room, offering no further elaboration. That dismissive answer probably frustrated reporters hoping for detailed reasoning about controversial decisions that impact fighter careers and championship timelines.

The 56-year-old UFC boss expanded his explanation when another reporter specifically described Tsarukyan as the ‘odd man out’ at lightweight. White made clear he wouldn’t characterize Tsarukyan that way, then referenced the Armenian’s last-minute withdrawal from a title fight against Islam Makhachev that was originally scheduled for UFC 311 in January.

“I wouldn’t say he’s the odd man out. You know, he had an opportunity and you guys know how that played out. I don’t give a sh*t what the number says, he’s gonna have to work his way back. Just too much goes into this for those types of things to happen.You can’t do that. You can’t get the opportunity and then… It can’t end that way. So, he’s gotta work his way back.”

Dana White says Arman Tsarukyan still has to earn his way back to a title shot after pulling out of the Islam fight 😬

"He had an opportunity… he's gonna have to work his way back. I don't give a sh*t what the number says." pic.twitter.com/I3c1iAY18q
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 7, 2025

That reasoning reveals how much personal discretion White maintains over title shots regardless of official rankings. Tsarukyan holds the #1 contender spot based on his performances and victories over ranked opponents. But White’s comments make clear that rankings alone don’t guarantee opportunities when a fighter has previously disappointed the promotion.

(Image Credit: Jasper Colt – Imagn Images)

Arman Tsarukyan

Dana White

UFC 323

UFC 324

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!