Arman Tsarukyan’s career momentum appears to have slowed after issues with Dana White, at least according to a fellow UFC lightweight.
Many believed Tsarukyan had cemented his status as the lightweight division’s top contender after scoring a dominant submission victory against Dan Hooker at UFC Doha in November. That win seemed to put him squarely on the fast track to a title shot.
However, despite the momentum from that performance, “Ahalkalakets” has since hit a frustrating standstill, finding it difficult to convince the UFC that he should be next in line for a championship fight.
After reigning champion Ilia Topuria announced he would be taking a break for personal reasons, the UFC quickly booked an interim title fight. The promotion paired former title challenger Justin Gaethje with Paddy Pimblett to headline UFC 324, snubbed by Tsarukyan.
UFC CEO Dana White has been steadfast in his position that Arman Tsarukyan must fight his way back into title contention, noting that he previously missed a championship opportunity against then-titleholder Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 in January 2025 after withdrawing during fight week due to an alleged back injury.
Mauricio Ruffy suggests Arman Tsarukyan’s feud with Dana White is holding him back
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani ShowMauricio Ruffy shared his view on the current state of the UFC lightweight division. Ruffy predicted that Justin Gaethje would beat Paddy Pimblett to capture the interim title, potentially setting up a clash with Arman Tsarukyan.
However, he added that Tsarukyan is unlikely to get the next title shot, suggesting that “Ahalkalakets” has seemingly fallen out of favor with UFC CEO Dana White for reasons that have not been made public.
“I think Gaethje will be interim champion, it’s a really fun fight,” Ruffy said. “They both bring a lot of happiness and a lot of emotion into the cage. If Gaethje wins he might fight Arman, but Arman has stepped on the ball with Dana White and Dana seems a bit upset. Maybe it will be Topuria – I want to see Topuria against Gaethje.”
“I don’t think anyone really wants to see Tsarukyan against anyone right now; Topuria and Gaethje would be a lot more exciting. Right now, I don’t think either of those guys beat Topuria.”
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