Morning Report: Arman Tsarukyan says he ‘needs Michael Chandler’s name on my list,’ expects top 5 opponent next
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Arman Tsarukyan knows what he wants next.
In the UFC Vegas 75 co-main event this past weekend, Tsarukyan got back on a winning streak with his seventh UFC win in nine appearances. The 26-year-old Georgian took care of business, dishing out damage to Joaquim Silva en route to a third-round TKO from punches.
Tsarukyan has been touted as one of the best and brightest rising young talents regardless of the division since his promotional debut against the future lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in April 2019. Makhechev bested the newcomer, but the high-level grappling exchanges left many impressed by Tsarukyan's admirable effort and he's now a fixture within the 155-pound top 10. Therefore, his pairing with the unranked Silva was an odd one to just about everyone in the MMA community. Assuming things fall apart between Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor after The Ultimate Fighter 31, Tsarukyan hopes he can finally get his hands on the former Bellator titlist.
"That fight, it makes sense," Tsarukyan told The Schmo. "That fight give me a lot of opportunity. Michael Chandler, he's a star in our division. He has a lot of experience and I need his name on my list. I wanna beat him, I wanna knock him out and show who is the new generation."
Boasting an impressive 20-3 record, Tsarukyan's only other loss in the octagon came via unanimous decision opposite his fellow top 10 contender Mateusz Gamrot. The thought of Tsarukyan winning was a relatively common discussion after the bout despite all three judges agreeing on Gamrot as the winner. With each performance, he only feels he's leveling up and deserves an elite-tier name.
"Definitely it's gonna be someone from top 5," Tsarukyan said of his next fight. "They can't give me someone from like top 15 or unranked because I deserve [after] I finished this guy and I am here. They gotta give me someone from the top and I want to get the title shot.
"I feel so confident because when I spar with fighters, I feel so much better than them. I just feel like I can beat everybody and I know if they're gonna give me someone from top 5, I'm gonna show my performance and my shape."
Tsarukyan's ultimate goal is, of course, to become the UFC lightweight champion.
Having secured back-to-back wins since the June 2022 Gamrot defeat, Tsarukyan is facing an uphill climb with some required patience. Makhachev is likely next defending in another rematch with the man he won the belt from, Charles Oliveira. After that, things get interesting with the winner of Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje 2 at UFC 291. In the end, Tsarukyan wants to be the one to dethrone the new divisional kingpin and get his redemption.
"I wanna fight for the title with Islam Makhachev because we have a story," Tsarukyan said. "My first fight was with Islam Makhachev. It was short notice and hopefully, when I'm gonna fight with him, they gonna give me a lot of time for preparing then I'm gonna beat him."
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VIDEO STEW
UFC Jacksonville promo.
Free fight.
War Room: Emmett vs. Topuria.
Gaethje's Road to Utah.
LISTEN UP
On To the Next One. MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alex K. Lee discuss if Jared Cannonier vs. Khamzat Chimaev is the fight to make after UFC Vegas 75.
MORNING MUSIC
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Shrug.
I always wanted to be a ring girl, but I don't have boobs, so I became a fighter ♀️ pic.twitter.com/vmeLn7Jus5
- Diana Belbiță (@DianaBelbita) June 19, 2023
Lion.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Marvin Vettori (@marvinvettori)
Dad.
I'm feeling like Michael Chandler the way I'm adopting all these children. August 19, I'm adding a spoiled brat to the family.
•#Boston #SnapTheTwig #4TimeFunk #AndStill #TWS #UFC292 pic.twitter.com/yjqkA32XI2
- Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) June 19, 2023
Signing.
Welcome to The Professional Fighters League! @khaiwu pic.twitter.com/qGfaJbCOrw
- PFL (@PFLMMA) June 19, 2023
Attachments.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Хабиб Нурмагомедов (@khabib_nurmagomedov)
Back at it.
back to the gym @PatricioPitbull pic.twitter.com/2R3FvAi5bb
- Patricky Freire (@PatrickyPitbull) June 20, 2023
Cowboy.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Donald Cerrone (@cowboycerrone)
Cool hoodie.
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A post shared by Khamzat Chimaev (@khamzat_chimaev)
Beach sesh.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Shavkat Rahmonov (@shavkatrakhmonov94)
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A post shared by Valentina Shevchenko (@bulletvalentina)
What is happening?
Alistair Overeem is looking slim!
The Dutch legend met up with RIZIN CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara last weekend. He's currently serving a suspension but is rumored to return for the GLORY Heavyweight Grand Prix in December, with $500,000 on the line. pic.twitter.com/BFX39fFOZH
- Beyond Kickboxing (@Beyond_Kick) June 19, 2023
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Henry Cejudo (16-3) vs. Marlon Vera (20-8-1); UFC 292, Aug. 19
Kai Kara-France (24-11, 1 NC) vs. Manel Kape (18-6); UFC 293, Sept. 10
FINAL THOUGHTS
Not quite sure who the perfect next matchup for Tsarukyan is but it undeniably has to be a ranked guy.
Thanks for reading!
EXIT POLL
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Morning Report: Arman Tsarukyan says he needs Michael Chandlers name on my list, expects top 5 opponent next originally appeared on NBC Sports
