Where Is Arman Tsarukyan From? A Deep Dive Into His Ethnicity, Nationality, and Religion

As Arman Tsarukyan gears up for his first UFC title shot at UFC 311 this weekend, a lot of really interesting tidbits about the fighter are making it to the MMA news cycle. Why wouldn’t it? Beyond his impressive skills in the octagon, Tsarukyan’s background is just as fascinating. 

From his nationality to his religious beliefs, there’s plenty to unpack about the man chasing championship gold.t.

Arman Tsarukyan religion and nationality 

Tsarukyan proudly represents Armenia in MMA, but there’s often confusion about his background, especially his religion. While “Arman” is a common name in Islamic communities, it is actually shared by many from the Abrahamic faiths. 

Tsarukyan is Christian and shares cultural ties with three predominantly Christian nations: Armenia, Georgia, and Russia. However, the idea that he is Muslim has led to some hilarious situations in his life. 

In a June 2024 interview on The MMA Hour, Ariel Helwani asked Tsarukyan if he spoke Arabic. Tsarukyan, who doesn’t, flipped the question back to Helwani. This led to a humorous exchange where Helwani clarified his Jewish roots, sharing how his Lebanese and Egyptian parents grew up in regions with larger Jewish communities in the 1960s and 70s.

Tsarukyan also shared a lighthearted story about how some of his coaches assumed he was Muslim. They would greet him with “salaam alaikum,” and he’d play along, responding with “wa-alaikum as-salaam”.

For two years, they believed he was Muslim, even throwing in phrases like “inshallah” during conversations. When he finally revealed he wasn’t Muslim, the reaction was one of surprise and laughter, as it turned out one of his teammates had been pranking his coaches all along by spreading the misconception.

Although Armenian by heritage, Arman lives and trains extensively in Russia, where he’s become a prominent figure in the country’s MMA scene. He’s even had memorable encounters with influential personalities like MMA icon Fedor Emelianenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Arman has always been rather well-connected, courtesy of his father and their millions of dollars worth of construction business.

Arman Tsarukayn family and upbringing 

Tsarukyan’s journey into MMA is far from the typical underdog story. Unlike fighters like Conor McGregor or Khabib Nurmagomedov, Tsarukyan grew up surrounded by luxury, thanks to his father, Nairi, a successful business tycoon.

Born in a Georgian town near the Armenian border, Arman’s privileged upbringing, however, didn’t shield him from hard work. His father’s relentless work ethic became the foundation of his discipline, with young Arman even earning 500 rubles an hour helping in the family business at just 11 years old.

Arman burst into the UFC in 2019 with an electrifying debut against Islam Makhachev, earning Fight of the Night despite a loss. Now as he prepares to take on the same man for his first lightweight title shot, life seems to be coming full circle for him.