Arman Tsarukyan just dropped a bombshell, suggesting current UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje might actually retire rather than step into the octagon with him for the belt. This wild claim comes hot off Tsarukyan’s vicious first-round elbow knockout of Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 this past Saturday in Los Angeles, a win that cemented his sixth straight in the UFC and, he believes, his long-awaited title shot.
Six Straight Wins And A Title Shot Nobody Can Deny
Tsarukyan has been on an absolute tear, doing everything in his power to secure that lightweight title shot. His dominant performance against Ruffy at UFC 331 stunned the crowd, leaving zero doubt about his championship readiness. The guy is a force, and the UFC brass seems to agree. Tsarukyan told “The Ariel Helwani Show” this week that he was told both before and after his win that his next fight will absolutely be for UFC gold. That’s huge! He’s put in the work, kept his head down, and delivered. He even said, “Now that I got a good performance, there is no doubt that I’m fighting for the title next,” and that the UFC was happy with his performance, adding, “They can see I’m professional, and they can see that I can knock people out and perform very well.” It sounds like it’s his time.
Is Gaethje Running Or Just Looking For A Bigger Bag?
Despite the UFC’s assurances, Tsarukyan isn’t entirely confident he’ll face Gaethje for the strap. He suspects “The Highlight” might be looking for an exit. “Maybe Gaethje’s going to say, ‘I don’t want to fight anymore,’ and retire. You never know,” Tsarukyan told Uncrowned. He added that if not retirement, Gaethje will “ask for a big check,” though he thinks the UFC will pay him to stay. The bigger concern? Tsarukyan believes Gaethje would rather face Ilia Topuria, who he stopped in a shocking result at UFC Freedom 250 in June to win the title. “If they give him the opportunity to pick me or Ilia, he would pick Ilia because he already beat him. He knows that he can beat him twice,” Tsarukyan asserted. For Tsarukyan, fighting Gaethje would be “amazing” because he believes Gaethje “has a couple more fights and he’s going to retire,” and having his name on Tsarukyan’s win streak “would be amazing.” Talk about high stakes!
What’s Next For The Lightweight Kingpin And His Challengers?
Topuria, who called for a Gaethje rematch during UFC 331 fight week, is definitely lurking. Tsarukyan expects Topuria to keep pushing for that title fight. Remember, Tsarukyan’s title shot arguably should have come sooner, but an injury forced him out of a planned bout against then-champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 in January 2025. This time, he’s a “good boy” and expects no snags. If it’s not Gaethje, Tsarukyan still sees himself in a title fight next. He even floated the idea of Topuria facing his longtime rival Paddy Pimblett. “Paddy has a good chin, and Topuria wins usually by KO. It’s going to be hard to knock out Paddy, and Paddy has good cardio as well, so it’s like 50/50,” Tsarukyan remarked, setting up another potential barnburner. Get ready, because the lightweight division is about to get wild, and Tsarukyan is ready to claim his spot at the top.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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