"F**king cringe” - Fans divided after Arman Tsarukyan uses Islam Makhachev’s famous quote while watching a local MMA event in California
Arman Tsarukyan's decision to quote his former opponent, Islam Makhachev, while watching an MMA fight has drawn a mixed bag of reactions from fans. Tsarukyan was set to take on Makhachev, the lightweight champion, at UFC 311 on Jan. 18.
But the Armenian fighter withdrew from the bout the day before weigh-ins due to a back injury. Given Tsarukyan's elite wrestling abilities, fans were eager to see how he could test the Sambo skillset of Makhachev, who is regarded as the best grappler at 155 pounds.
During an interview with former teammate Daniel Cormier, the lightweight king famously told 'DC' that if he wanted his sons to be world-class wrestlers, then he should send them to Dagestan for two or three years and "forget".
Since the interview, Makhachev's quote has become iconic amongst fans, using the quote wherever its context applies.
During a recent vlog posted to Tsarukyan's YouTube channel, he was captured quoting the Dagestani while watching an MMA event in California. The footage was resposted to X by @redcorner_mma, where 'Akhalkalakets' said this:
"Send him to Dagestan two, three years and forget."
Check out Arman Tsarukyan quoting Islam Makhachev below:
The footage divided fans, with some finding the video entertaining whilst others were annoyed. One fan wrote this:
""2-3 years Dagestan" So f**king cringe"
Others commented:
"Arman lol"
"We are in his head"
See more fan reactions below:
Arman Tsarukyan hints at incoming fight news
Arman Tsarukyan's previously scheduled bout against Islam Makhachev had fans on the edge of their seats with anticipation. Many believed that Tsarukyan had the best chance of toppling the lightweight king, given the competitive nature of their first UFC fight.
Tsarukyan's inability to make the walk on fight night at UFC 311 due to a back injury left fans bitterly disappointed. However, it appears that the former title challenger could have more fight news for his fanbase in the coming weeks.
There has been much talk surrounding Ilia Topuria's decision to vacate the featherweight title and move to lightweight in pursuit of a clash with Makhachev. But some pundits believe that Topuria should compete in a title eliminator first, with 'Akhalkalakets' a potential suitor.
In a recent Instagram post, the Armenian wrote this:
"Big news coming soon!"
Check out Arman Tsarukyan's post below: