UFC CEO Dana White recently addressed one of the most important questions among fans: when will Arman Tsarykuan get another shot at the 155-pound championship?
Tsarukyan recently beat Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar and called out champion Ilia Topuria. However, Topuria went on a hiatus in the coming week, after which the UFC announced an interim title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett. White also declared that the winner of this interim bout will fight ‘El Matador’ to unify the belts once he returns.
‘Ahalkalakets’ wanted a BMF title fight after Gaethje vs. Pimblet was announced, but the UFC booked the BMF champion, Max Holloway, to face Charles Oliveira in a rematch at UFC 326.
Arman Tsarukyan, the No. 1 UFC lightweight contender, got his first shot at the undisputed title earlier this year at UFC 311, in a rematch with then-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. However, the Armenian fighter pulled out at the eleventh hour because of a back injury.
The promotion did not take the pullout lightly, and White announced at the UFC 311 presser that Tsarukyan is going back to the drawing board and will have to work his way up for a title shot again.
Recently, after the submission win over Hooker, ‘Ahalkalakets’ thought he had done enough to earn the title shot. However, earlier tonight at the UFC 323 post-fight presser, White revealed the real reason why Tsarukyan did not get a title shot and what he must do next to get one.
Dana White Shrugs Off Rankings, Says Arman Tsarukyan Has to Earn Another Shot
UFC CEO Dana White thinks Arman Tsarukyan has not done enough to get another title shot. Making weight and serving as backup for the UFC 317 headliner and then defeating Hooker recently is not enough for Tsarukyan to get a shot at the undisputed UFC lightweight gold.
White reaffirmed what he said earlier this year:
“He had an opportunity, and you guys know how that played out. He’s gonna have to work his way back. I don’t give a sh*t what the number says.”
Check out Dana White’s comments about Arman Tsarukyan below: