Tsarukyan’s Surprising Move – Faces Saint-Denis in Grappling!
Rapid Rise to the Top
Arman Tsarukyan, a top-ranked UFC lightweight fighter, claimed a significant victory at UFC 300, where he edged out former champion Charles Oliveira by split decision after three closely contested rounds. Prior to this high-stakes battle, Tsarukyan had already showcased his prowess by stopping another top-ranked lightweight, Beneil Dariush, via TKO.
A Strategic Decline
Shortly after his victory over Oliveira, the UFC offered the 27-year-old Tsarukyan a title shot against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev scheduled for June. However, Tsarukyan opted to decline the fight, citing the short notice as his main concern for not facing Makhachev at this time.
An Unexpected Challenge
Instead, it was recently confirmed that Tsarukyan will compete against French grappler Benoit Saint-Denis in a grappling match at ADXC 4 in Paris on May 17th. This matchup comes as a surprise to many, given the differences in their fighting styles and recent careers.
Anticipating the Grapple
During an interview last week with former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping on his podcast “Believe You Me,” Tsarukyan expressed his excitement about the upcoming match against Saint-Denis. “It’s going to be fun. Saint-Denis is good on the mat, he knows his grappling and wrestling. But I think I have more advantages, I grew up wrestling,” Tsarukyan explained.
TRENDING
Saint-Denis’ Recent Struggles
Saint-Denis is coming off a harsh knockout loss to American fighter Dustin Poirier at UFC 299 last month. Despite the setback, he had previously built an impressive streak of five consecutive victories. It remains uncertain who Saint-Denis will face next in the UFC, though rumors suggest a potential matchup against Dan Hooker.
Arman Tsarukyan on the upcoming match: “It’s going to be fun. Saint-Denis is good on the mat, he knows his grappling and wrestling. But I think I have more advantages, I grew up wrestling.”
On declining the fight with Makhachev: “I didn’t want to take the fight on short notice.”
