‘Doing Everything but Fighting Islam’: Arman Tsarukyan’s Black Mercedes Appearance With Snoop Dogg Song Triggers Backlash After UFC 311 Withdrawal

It’s been a few weeks since Arman Tsarukyan pulled out of UFC 311 at the 11th hour due to a back injury. Fans who had flocked the Intuit Dome in the midst of the LA wildfires naturally felt betrayed after the main event was reduced to a minor tussle between the champion Islam Makhachev and #10 ranked Renato Moicano. As Tsaruyan moves on with his luxurious life of Mercedes and Snoop Dogg songs, he’s finding out, that fans still aren’t willing to forget or forgive.

The Armenian fighter was supposed to be the toughest challenge Makhachev would have faced inside the octagon. Even though he wasn’t the betting favorite, it was expected that stylistically Arman had the best chance to defeat Islam and break the Dagestani monopoly over the 155 lbs division.

Instead, fans were subjected to a short-notice fight that ended up in a D’Arce choke finish in a little over 4 minutes into the very first round. Consequently, Arman has now also been demoted to the back of the line where UFC President Dana White has claimed he has to fight his way back up again.

So while he has every right to post videos of himself in his Black Mercedes, bouncing on hydraulics to Snoop ‘Doggy’ Dogg, fans are under no obligation to let it slide.

Many took issue with the timing of the post, given that Tsarukyan withdrew from the fight due to a back injury. One fan sarcastically commented, “Bro is doing everything but fighting Islam,” suggesting that the lightweight contender is simply avoiding the champion.

Another jabbed at the situation by asking, “Is this how you hurt your back, brother?” implying that the bouncing car may have contributed to his withdrawal.

One fan joked, “If you do this exercise 2-3 times, your back will not hurt”. Another chimed in with, “Nice car. Please don’t hurt your back,” sarcastically referencing his reported injury. The backlash didn’t stop at just his physical condition. Some fans criticized Tsarukyan’s character, with one stating, “Can’t buy dignity and honor tho,” implying that pulling out of the fight tarnished his reputation regardless of his wealth.

Whether Tsarukyan responds to the criticism or lets it fade remains to be seen, but for now, fans aren’t letting him off the hook. However, the Armenian fighter is still adamant that he deserves a title shot, and is willing to do anything to get another shot. Right now, it also seems like his only shot at redemption.

Tsarukyan scrambles to get career back on track

Tsarukyan might have fallen from the graces but he’s not all the way down. At least that’s not what he believes. He hopes to get a win or two in the next few months and find himself fighting for the title again. And to do that he has a familiar foe in mind, one that he’s already defeated.

His split-decision win against Oliveira at UFC 300 was a 3-round affair that left fans wanting for more. Well, Tsarukyan insists that he wants to have a rematch and add championship rounds into the mix.  In an interview with Ariel Helwani, he also named Michael Chandler as another potential opponent.

“If not Islam, it’s a five-round fight with Charles Oliveira… Michael Chandler, he is a good fighter, but for me, it’s good to fight him because he has a good name, and he just makes a little bit of money, and [I can] build my name and get some more experience… I’m down for him too.”

Tsarukyan will need to win either or both of these fights to make it back to Islam Makhachev but it won’t just be winning that will suffice here. His reputation has already taken damage in the court of public opinion and as such he will hope to assert his dominance against these veterans to erase all doubts over his intentions for Makhachev.