The UFC Lightweight Title Saga continues with uncertainty about who will fight against Ilia Topuria for the belt afterwards.
Last month in the Main Event of UFC 317, Ilia Topuria became the lightweight champion after Charles Oliveira would sleep in the first round of their empty title fight.
And immediately after his victory, a lightweight Saga was inflamed when the rising lightweight competition Paddy Pimblett stormed the cage in a spontaneous face.
Nevertheless, UFC boss Dana White revealed after the event that he was not happy with the face, because he does not think Pimblett will fight next to the title.
However, although there are several lightweight contenders who feel that they deserve the lightweight title shot, including Arman Tsarukyan and Justin Gaethje, it is still unclear who will actually be picked as the next candidate.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Arman Tsarukyan claims that Justin Gaethje has to fight him before fighting for the title
It is fair to say that the 155LB division is currently somewhat a mess. White apparently released Gaethje as the next title -after he had encouraged him to retire after his 'crazy' title Ultimatum.
Not only did he conclude 'the highlight', but he also told Tsarukyan that he still has a number of ways to go before he deserves a shot to fight for the title, despite the fact that he weighed as the backup for UFC 317.
Despite that, 'El Matador' recently revealed with whom he thinks his first defending defense will be against, claiming that the UFC will insist on Gaethje as the next challenger.
'Ahalkalakets' is clearly not a fan of that idea and has stated that 'the highlight' must come through him before he fights against the Spaniard.
“Of course I would like to fight against Islam (Makhachev) if I had the choice, but at the moment (I would like) a fight with Gaethje,” Tsarukyan said on cold with Arman Tsarukyan.
“He just defeated number 11 or 12 in (Rafael) Fiziev, he does not earn the title fight, that is 100%, he lost (Max) Holloway, he defeated Fiziev, Fiziev knew five days about the fight and he hardly won a decision … It is not fair, he has to beat me before the title,”
Topuria recently claimed that he would rather leave the title than against Tsarukyan fighting
The Spanish champion recently caused a stir when he claimed that he would rather leave his lightweight title than fighting Tsarukyan.
Since he has withdrawn from his UFC 311 title fight against Islam Makhachev earlier this year, the Armenian has not fought once, which apparently influences his opportunities for the title.
And even though it is going to fight against Gaethje, it is extremely unlikely because it would leave Topuria without a clear competition to fight.