Arman Tsarukyan’s path to MMA isn’t your typical underdog story. Unlike many fighters who come from tough, underprivileged backgrounds, Tsarukyan grew up in a life of privilege. But his decision to become a pro-fighter was fueled by two surprising reasons: a strong dislike for traditional work and a desire to outshine his brother.
In conversation with the Nelk Boys, Arman revealed that it was his brother’s beatdowns at the end of their fights that moved the needle for him.
“I just don’t like to work. I like fighting, especially when I was a kid I always fought with my brother. He always beat me and I wanted to beat him as well. So that is why I became a fighter as well.”
It’s an unconventional motivation, but one that’s clearly worked out for Tsarukyan, who’s now on the verge of becoming the lightweight champion at UFC 311.
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Earlier this week, former bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo revealed that Arman’s father Nairi Tsarukyan was a highly successful businessman and his family was worth about $100 million. It’s one of the main reasons, Arman never rushed into fights and was able to carefully craft his UFC career.
At a UFC 311 presser, the media had joked about fans calling Arman the ‘Armenian Batman’, due to his Bruce Wayne-esque lifestyle. Arman didn’t particularly shy away from the nickname either.
“Yeah, kind of similar. But I gotta help more people like Batman does. So hopefully after this fight, I’m gonna have time and I can help people who need me.”
♂️ Arman Tsarukayan likes the nickname ‘Armenian Batman’ (via @ufc) pic.twitter.com/dYFsB6wRQL
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) January 15, 2025
He might have a lot of time to do that as well since if he wins the title at UFC 311, he will be ‘done with the sport’.
Arman’s luxurious ambitions
Don’t worry—he’s not planning to retire. Instead, the 28-year-old plans to shift his focus to lucrative matchups unlike his opponent next week.
Tsarukyan explained that his priority is legacy right now, with his sights set on claiming UFC gold. After that, it’s all about business. He plans to take high-paying fights, picking opponents who bring the biggest paydays.
Once he secures the title, Tsarukyan’s top target is Charles Oliveira, whom he considers the most dangerous contender in the division. He also sees himself, Makhachev, and Oliveira as the top three fighters at lightweight.
Funnily enough, he didn’t seem very interested in fighting featherweight Ilia Topuria, who could really bring in the big bucks. Arman believes Topuria’s move to lightweight is a permanent measure since the featherweight champion cuts a lot of weight to make 145 lbs. But when asked if he would like to fight Topuria, Arman shrugged off the question by claiming to focus on next week’s fight first.
