Arman Tsarukyan thinks it would have been easier to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 302.
On Saturday, Makhachev successfully defended his UFC lightweight title with a fifth-round submission win over Dustin Poirier in the main event. Though Makhachev is the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, he drew criticism from fans for his struggles against Poirier, and Tsarukyan acknowledged it wasn't the champion's best night.
“It wasn't our best performance,” Tsarukyan said. MMA Hour“He was tired and sluggish. I think Islam is not in very good condition. Or maybe he was sick or something. But I'm not going to criticise him just for this last game. You have to watch all his games and take them seriously. He was [the] #1 pound-for-pound fighter. Just get ready. [for] “I'm the best version of Islam Makhachev. I'm not going to underestimate him or think, 'Dustin can defend himself with wrestling, so I'll defend myself.' I'm going to do my job and I know what I have to do.”
And apparently what he needs to do is cardio.
Tsarukyan continued speaking about UFC 302, noting that if he had fought Makhachev instead of his American Top Team teammate, the outcome would have been different.
“It's going to be a very easy match for me,” Tsarukyan said. “I was able to beat him in that match because he was tired. You can't do anything when you're tired. Even if you have the best technique in the world, if you're tired, it's over.”
“He was tired in the five-round fight,” Tsarukyan added. “I was tired against Volkanovski, I was tired against Dustin, so hopefully that's the key to me winning this fight, because of my cardio.”
Tsarukyan may not get another chance to test his theory.
The Georgian-born Armenian fighter is currently a top contender in the lightweight division, but he has his sights set on bigger opponents. After his win at UFC 302, the champion asked for an opportunity to move up a weight class and challenge for the welterweight title. Tsarukyan doesn't really begrudge Makhachev for his move, but he also said it was premature.
“The 170-pound fight is a fight that gets a lot more attention, and I understand that,” Tsarukyan said. “This fight is better. If UFC offered him the 170-pound fight, of course I'd fight for the double belts if I were him. This is history. He can make history, but I don't think he deserves it yet. He's got to beat a few more fighters at 155 and then go to 170. But we'll see what happens.”
For now, it looks like Tsarukyan's wish will come true. UFC CEO Dana White has not said whether he will give Makhachev a chance for the welterweight title, but the champion himself agreed that if UFC wants a rematch with Tsarukyan next, he would be happy to do so. Tsarukyan said there are already rumors about the possibility of scheduling the fight during UFC's annual November trip to New York.
“He wants to fight at Madison Square Garden in New York,” Tsarukyan said. “To me, that's the best-case scenario. It's one of the best fighting venues in the world. Madison Square Garden is a historic place. A lot of boxers have fought there, a lot of events have been held there. I would love to fight there at least once in my life.”
