Arman Tsarukyan talks why Charles Oliveira's jiu-jitsu won't work against him at UFC 300
While Charles Oliveira is one of the most feared submission artists in MMA, Arman Tsarukyan seems convinced that the former UFC lightweight champion's jiu-jitsu will prove ineffective against him.
The pair are set to lock horns at the highly anticipated UFC 300 pay-per-view on April 13 in Las Vegas. The Russian-Armenian is hoping to make an undeniable case for a title shot with a convincing win over the ex-titleholder.
During a recent interview with Daniel Cormier, 'Ahalkalakets' was quizzed on whether he is wary of his opponent's jiu-jitsu skills. However, the 27-year-old doesn't see Oliveira's grappling prowess as a roadblock.
He believes that 'Do Bronx' will find it difficult to secure a submission against a high-level MMA fighter such as himself:
"If we are going to do jiu-jitsu like without ground-and-pound, of course, he maybe can like get any submission, but when you punch someone, he can't think about like, 'Oh, I have got to get his arm or whatever.' He has got to defend himself... Especially [with] high level fighters right now, to choke someone is so difficult."
Tsarukyan added:
"You've got to beat him like 15 to 20 minutes and then when he gets tired you can finish, but like first two rounds its almost impossible to choke [a] high level fighter... My goal is [to] go there [and] knock him out in the first round and to show everybody [that] I deserve the title fight."
Catch Arman Tsarukyan's comments below (24:48):
Oliveira is the No.1-ranked contender at lightweight and holds a record of 34-9 with one No Contest. Tsarukyan also boasts an enviable resume of 21-3 and holds the No.4 sport of the 155-pound ladder.
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Charles Oliveira UFC 300: Opening odds
According to FightOdds, surging contender Arman Tsarukyan is a -130 favorite over Charles Oliveira (+110 underdog). However, since the matchup is almost three months out, the final money lines might be different.
Per the current odds, a $100 wager on the Russian will yield a payout of $176.92, while the same bet on the underdog will result in larger winnings of $210 if the 'Do Bronx' gets his hand raised.
Tsarukyan is currently on a three-fight win streak, with his latest victory being a 64-second KO against Beniel Dariush. Interestingly, Oliveria's last win has also come via first-round TKO over the same opponent.