Daniel Cormier thinks Arman Tsarukyan has done all the right things since withdrawing from his first UFC title fight.
Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) pulled out of his lightweight championship opportunity against Islam Makhachev due to a back injury the day before UFC 311. He has since tried to get back to the UFC’s good graces, picking up a quick submission win over Dan Hooker this past November.
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Tsarukyan was expected to run things back with Charles Oliveira at UFC 331 on Sept. 19 fro, Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and Cormier says Tsarukyan confirmed that rumor to him. But with Oliveira’s teammate Allan Nascimento tragically passing away, Oliveira has opted not to compete, and Tsarukyan will instead face rising contender Mauricio Ruffy (14-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in a five-round co-main event.
“If I’m being honest, Arman Tsarukyan told me in Abu Dhabi it was going to be him and Oliveira,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “No BMF title, it was going to be him and Oliveira fighting in Los Angeles. And Arman told me, he just wants to continue to fight to essentially make himself undeniable because he wants a title opportunity. Yesterday we got that he’s fighting Mauricio Ruffy. That’s a dangerous fight with not as much upside because Ruffy while he is good, and while he did have that great win at the White House, he doesn’t have the name value as Charles Oliveira.
“Arman Tsarukyan saying yes to this fight I believe strengthens his case over anything. The one thing that made it hard for Arman to get that title shot that so many people feel he deserves is because of the way the last fight that he was scheduled with Islam went down. But now he’s saying yes to everybody and everything under any type of fighting situation. That makes you the guy that everybody wants to work with.”
Tsarukyan defeated Oliveira by split decision at UFC 300. While Cormier was excited to see the pair run things back, he sees Ruffy as a game opponent.
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“Now, it’s unfortunate because we would have loved to see him and Oliveira have a rematch,” Cormier said. “The first fight was tremendous. Arman actually hit a fan on the way to the octagon, but unfortunately, Charles’ teammate passed away, and that’s why, I believe, we’re not getting the Charles fight. … Arman-Ruffy is going to be good, though. It’s going to be an amazing fight, and Los Angeles always has great fights.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Daniel Cormier: Arman Tsarukyan taking Mauricio Ruffy fight makes him undeniable
