“Gaethje has to wait” - Arman Tsarukyan firmly opposes Justin Gaethje’s championship bid, cites potential title eliminator clash at UFC 300
Arman Tsarukyan is staking his claim for a title shot, suggesting a pushback on Justin Gaethje's immediate championship aspirations.
UFC CEO Dana White recently announced a stacked first half of 2024 for the 155-pound class, with Dustin Poirier vs. Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 299 followed by Charles Oliveira vs. Tsarukyan at UFC 300. White declared the latter bout a title eliminator, and Tsarukyan wants to ensure it stays that way.
'Ahalkalakets' told Daniel Cormier in an interview:
“I think he should wait [for] us because we are going to be contender No. 1, hopefully they’re not going to book that fight for the summer and wait [for] us. After, when I win, I’m going to fight with Islam, and then we can talk about Gaethje. I feel like we are next and Gaethje has to wait [for] us. Gaethje has to wait [until] October. Okay, we’re going to fight for the title in the summer."[h/t:MMAFighting]
The Armenian-Russian fighter's statement comes after Islam Makhachev, the current champion, expressed his desire to fight Gaethje next, with the Oliveira vs. Tsarukyan winner to follow.
Tsarukyan's impressive three-fight win streak, culminating in a first-round knockout of Beneil Dariush, has cemented him as a top contender. He now aims to prove his worth against Oliveira and earn a shot at the champion's belt, leaving Gaethje's title bid on hold until the dust settles in the summer.
Arman Tsarukyan reveals strategy behind securing Charles Oliveira bout at UFC 300
Arman Tsarukyan has revealed his strategic reasoning behind choosing Charles Oliveira as his next opponent. Despite the potential allure of a rematch with Islam Makhachev, Tsarukyan believes defeating the former champion is the quickest path to a title shot.
Speaking to Daniel Cormier, Tsarukyan explained:
"When I talked to my manager, told him the best-case scenario is going to be a fight with Charles Oliveira and then fight for the title with Islam and I wanted UFC 300 and I got it. So, I'm so happy. I'm so excited to fight in UFC 300 and especially with former champion Charles Oliveira. So, it's super exciting, you know? And I want to say thank you to the UFC for that opportunity."
Check out Arman Tsarukyan's interview below (18:06):