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Arman Tsarukyan Thinks One Clean Hook Could Secure Him the Title Against Islam Makhachev

Kevin Binoy
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Islam Makhachev (L), Arman Tsarukyan (R)

Arman Tsarukyan doesn’t seem too worried about Islam Makhachev or Dagestani wrestling ahead of their fight at UFC 311. With just 8 days left for the lightweight title fight, Tsarukyan feels all he needs to do is connect one clean hook and put Makhchev out cold. 

It’s a bold claim, but Tsarukyan’s confidence isn’t unfounded—he’s been sharpening his striking game for six years, ever since their first clash left him hungry for redemption.

Now, with what he calls a tenfold improvement in his hands, Tsarukyan is ready to prove he’s no longer the same fighter who faced Makhachev defeated by a unanimous decision in 2019. 

While speaking to Kevin Iole, Tsarukyan claimed he probably won’t need takedowns to deal with Islam. Even when he is one of the very few fighters from Islam’s career who have successfully put him on his back, Arman is putting his faith in the power of his hands. 

“I mean maybe I don’t even need one takedown, maybe I just need one good hook and that is it. I do work a lot on my boxing in this camp, I believe now my hands are way stronger than it was. I can not wait to go there and show what I was preparing.”

 

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While Tsarukyan believes his striking has improved, it is also worth noting that Islam’s progress as a striker has been far more documented.

He went toe-to-toe with Dustin Poirier and Alexander Volkanovski on the feet and came out on top. He knocked out Volk with a head kick at UFC 294 and then outboxed Poirier at UFC 302. 

Therefore, if Arman believes that he will be able to walk over Islam with his fists of fury, he is in for a rude awakening. 

Arman wants to fulfill his destiny

Tsarukyan remembers being welcomed to the UFC back in 2019. It was a tough introduction for the then 22-year-old Tsarukyan, who stepped in on short notice and faced a rampaging Makhachev.

However, after the fight, Makhachev offered some words of encouragement, telling him to keep his head up because his future was bright. But for Tsarukyan, the loss stung. “I’ve never liked losing, no matter how young I was,” he admitted. 

Fast forward six years, and Tsarukyan has won nine of his last ten fights to earn a rematch with the now-lightweight champ. It’s almost karmic retribution of a kind; a story reaching its third act with the climax on January 18. 

He would really like to take the win, finish his story, and usher in a new era in the lightweight division. That would also put a dent in Islam’s ambition of moving up to welterweight and going for the second title!

Post Edited By:Smrutisnat Jena

About the author

Kevin Binoy

Kevin Binoy

With more than 4 years of journalistic experience in the mixed martial arts industry, Kevin Binoy is a true connoisseur of the sport. He is an MMA journalist at The SportsRush but the 'break room historian' watches every sport under the sun. While his degree in economics enables him to call Paris home, Kevin only ever humbly brags having caught a glimpse of Demetrious Johnson that one time LIVE in Singapore. Kevin has covered countless UFC PPVs with over 2500 articles and millions of views to his name. He mainly covers PPVs and Fight Nights but also has a finger on the pulse of MMA pop culture.

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