Arman Tsarukyan (22-3) has a special trick up his sleeve against Islam Makhachev (26-1).
Tsarukian will challenge Makhachev for the lightweight title in the main event of UFC 311 on January 18th at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Tsarukyan has long been a legitimate No. 1 contender, but he was very particular about having a full camp for his rematch with Makhachev.
Tsarukyan believes he is completely ready. The Akhal Karakets have spent a long time working on their bodies, and are currently concentrating on preparing for Makhachev as match night approaches. And Tsarukyan claims to have devised a trick that reliably works and changes the entire course of the battle.
“Back in September, I worked on cardio, breathing exercises, and strength building.
[and] It’s endurance,” Tsarukyan recently told Red Corner MMA. “But now it’s all about preparing for our opponent, Islam… Of course, I have one trick up my sleeve that I believe in, and I know it’s going to work.” And that’s how the fight goes. It would change the whole thing. ”
👀Arman Tsarukyan said that he has prepared special tricks for the fight with Islam Makhachev:
“We know it’s going to work, and it’s going to change the whole tide of the fight.”
🎥 @RedCorner_MMA
▫️ pic.twitter.com/HpkYA8joLu
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight)
January 5, 2025
Tsarukyan faced Makhachev in his surprise UFC debut in 2019, but lost in a hard-fought unanimous decision. Tsarukyan also revealed that Makhachev gave him words of support after the match, but that didn’t do much to ease the loss.
“After the match, he supported me,” Tsarukyan said. “He said, ‘You’re young, everything is ahead of you.’ So don’t get upset. And I was like, ‘I’m not that young.’ I fell…well, I sat down and covered my eyes. Yes, I never liked losing, no matter how young I was. ”
👀👏Arman Tsarukyan talks about what Islam Makhachev told him after the first match:
“After the game, he supported me and said, ‘You’re still young and everything is yet to come, so don’t get upset.’
So I thought, ‘I’m not that young’…I sat down and covered my eyes. ”
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight)
January 5, 2025
Since then, Tsarukyan has lost just once in 10 UFC fights. He is on a four-fight winning streak, coming off a split decision victory over former champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 300.
Meanwhile, Makhachev is undefeated in 14 promotional fights, including four title fights, since suffering the only loss of his career against Adriano Martins in 2015.
