Top-ranked UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan is eyeing a rematch against former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
Most believe that Tsarukyan should be next in line to fight UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, but after his war with Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250, Gaethje is expected to take several months off to rest up and recover after that brutal fight.
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With Gaethje out of the picture for the time being, Tsarukyan wants to stay active, and so his team is talking about other options, including a rematch against Oliveira, the BMF champion who Tsarukyan defeated via split decision at UFC 300 in April 2024.
Arman Tsarukyan Open to Other Options
Speaking to Match TV in a recent interview, one of Tsarukyan’s managers, Sayat Abdrakhmanov, said that with Gaethje likely taking six months off, the team wants to keep their fighter busy and is considering taking a fight with Oliveira in the meantime.
“Taking into account that Gaethje just fought and is unlikely to return to the octagon in the next six months and that Arman needs to stay active, the option with Oliveira is the most attractive. We just have to consider the situation in the division, and the situation is that it’s better to act than to wait,” Abdrakhmanov said.
What Should Arman Tsarukyan Do?
At this point, Tsarukyan should take another fight instead of sitting around and waiting for Gaethje, especially since there is no guarantee that he gets the next title shot at 155 lbs, anyway.
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Since Tsarukyan defeated Oliveira over two years ago at UFC 300, he has only fought once in the Octagon, which was a submission win over Dan Hooker last November. While he has been doing wrestling matches for the RAF, he has not been competing in MMA, and at this point, he needs to get back into the cage and collect more fighting experience and paychecks.
Even though Tsarukyan already has a win over Oliveira, a rematch is still very intriguing since the first fight was a split decision. It would likely also be for the BMF title that Oliveira owns, which adds another layer of interest.
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