The next title fight of Ilia Topuria can go to everyone.
The new UFC Lightweight Champion had a line of contenders waiting for him after his second title win at UFC 317. Paddy Pimblett, Justin Gaethje and Arman Tsarukyan were all cageside for Topuria's blistering knockout from former champion Charles Oliveira.
Each hunter has a different case for the next title shot, where UFC CEO Dana White does not give any guarantees about who will get it.
Days removed from the lightweight title of Topuria, has a former UFC champion for the #1 candidate to finally fight for gold.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Luke Rockhold says that Arman Tsarukyan should get a title shot after weighing as UFC 317 Back-up hunter
9-1 Since the loss of Islam Makhachev in his UFC debut, Arman Tsarukyan has had to get another title fight.
The #1 UFC light weight earned a title shot immediately after he defeated Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 last year, but Tsaruky
Tsarukyan was supposed to rematch the Makhachev on UFC 311 in January, but a back injury forced Tsarukyan to withdraw the day before the fight. Tsarukyan has withdrawn his title chances to this day.
Former UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold believes that Tsarukyan still needs a crack on the title after making championship weight as an official backup hunter for the UFC 317 Main Event.
“He made weight,” Rockhold said about Tsarukyan on the Jaxxon podcast.
“He redeemed himself and now he is back in the game.
“He had to do what he did,” Rockhold said that Tsarukyan was the backup hunter.
“The UFC is very sensitive to things like that.
“You have a big promotion to get in such a situation, there is a bit of repercussions. But he earned his respect back and he is ready to go,” Rockhold added.
Arman Tsarukyan did not fight in 448 days
Tsarukyan, a high -level grappler, has been advertised as the toughest test of Topuria in the lightweight division.
Coming from back-to-back victories on Beneil Dariush and Oliveira, we have not seen Tsarukyan in the Octagon since UFC 300 on April 13, 2024, 448 days ago.
If Tsarukyan got a title fight on his return, the top candidate could look at a dismissal for more than 20 months.
Tsarukyan has no longer confronted with a resignation in his MMA career of a decade.
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