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Arman Tsarukyan

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Arman Tsarukyan
Tsarukyan in 2019
BornArman Nairovich Tsarukyan
(1996-10-11) October 11, 1996 (age 28)
Akhalkalaki, Georgia[1]
NicknameAkhalkalakets
NationalityArmenian[2][3]
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st)
DivisionLightweight (2015–present)
Featherweight (2017)
Reach72 in (183 cm)[4]
StanceOrthodox
Fighting out ofYerevan, Armenia
TeamLion Heart
American Top Team (2019–present)[5]
RankMaster of Sport in MMA[6]
Master of Sport in Freestyle Wrestling[6]
Years active2015–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total25
Wins22
By knockout9
By submission5
By decision8
Losses3
By knockout1
By decision2
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Arman Nairovich Tsarukyan[7] (Armenian: Արման Նաիրիի Ծառուկյան; born October 11, 1996) is an Armenian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of April 16, 2024, he is #1 in the UFC lightweight rankings.[8]

Background

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Tsarukyan was born into an Armenian family living in a small town in Georgia, near the Armenian border.[9][10] Arman's father, Nairi Tsarukyan, is a businessman,[11] engaged in the construction business. Arman is the middle child with an older brother and a younger sister. The family moved to Russia when Arman was three years old to pursue better opportunities in life.[12][9]

In his youth, Tsarukyan had multiple sporting interests. He started freestyle wrestling and fared well in the sport, but got interested in ice hockey later and continued playing it for ten years.[9] He even used to play for the junior team of Hockey Club Amur.[13] However, when Arman was approaching adulthood, he was forced to stop hockey in order to aid his father working in construction.[9]

Mixed martial arts career

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Early career

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Tsarukyan made his professional debut in mixed martial arts in 2015 against Shamil Olokhanov and won by technical knockout in the first round. He lost his next fight against Alexander Belikh by first-round knockout. Arman continued fighting for mixed martial arts promotions in Russia and Asia, winning his next 12 fights with 9 finishes, including a first round submission victory against Belikh to avenge his first loss.[14] He compiled a 13–1 record prior to signing a four-fight contract with the UFC.[15]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

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Tsarukyan made his UFC debut against future lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, on April 20, 2019 at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Oleinik.[16] It was a fast-paced fight with high level wrestling exchanges. Even though Tsarukyan lost via a unanimous decision that fight was considered to be the toughest test in Makhachev's career.[17][18] This fight earned him the Fight of the Night bonus.[19]

Tsarukyan faced Olivier Aubin-Mercier on July 27, 2019 at UFC 240 and won the fight via unanimous decision.[20]

Tsarukyan was expected to face Davi Ramos on April 11, 2020 at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Harris.[21] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was eventually postponed.[22][23] The bout eventually moved to UFC Fight Night 172 on July 19, 2020.[23] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[24]

Tsarukyan was expected to face Nasrat Haqparast on January 24, 2021 at UFC 257.[25] However, on the day of the weigh ins, Haqparast pulled out of the fight citing an illness.[26] As a result, the promotion negotiated a matchup between Tsarukyan and Matt Frevola. Subsequently, Tsarukyan forfeited 20% of his purse as a result of missing weight, which went to Frevola.[27] Tsarukyan won the fight via unanimous decision.[28]

Tsarukyan faced Christos Giagos on September 18, 2021 at UFC Fight Night 192.[29] He won the fight via technical knockout in round one.[30] This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.[31]

As the first bout of his new four-fight contract, Tsarukyan faced Joel Álvarez on February 26, 2022 at UFC Fight Night 202.[32][33] He won the bout via ground and pound TKO in the second round.[34] The win also earned Tsarukyan his second consecutive Performance of the Night bonus award.[35]

Tsarukyan faced Mateusz Gamrot on June 25, 2022 at UFC on ESPN 38.[36] He lost the closely contested fight via unanimous decision.[37] 15 of 22 MMA media outlets scored the bout in favor of Tsarukyan.[38] Both fighters earned the Fight of the Night award.[39]

As the first bout of his new, four-fight contract, Tsarukyan faced Damir Ismagulov on December 17, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 216.[40][10] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[41]

Tsarukyan was scheduled to face Renato Moicano on April 29, 2023, at UFC on ESPN: Song vs. Simón.[42] However, Moicano withdrew due to an injury and Tsarukyan was pulled from the card as well.[43][44]

Tsarukyan faced Joaquim Silva on June 17, 2023 at UFC on ESPN 47.[45] He won the bout via TKO in the third round.[46]

Tsarukyan faced Beneil Dariush on December 2, 2023, in the main event at UFC on ESPN 52.[47] In a mere 64 seconds he won this fight by first-round knockout due to a knee to the head followed by punches.[48] The fight earned him the Performance of the Night award.[49]

Tsarukyan in 2024

Tsarukyan faced former UFC Lightweight champion Charles Oliveira on April 13, 2024 at UFC 300.[50] He won the bout by split decision after surviving multiple submission attempts from Oliveira.[51]

Tsarukyan is scheduled to face Islam Makhachev in a rematch and for the UFC Lightweight Championship on January 18, 2025 at UFC 311.[52]

Grappling career

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Tsarukyan won the expert middleweight division of NAGA Los Angeles on October 1, 2023, submitting all three of his opponents.[53]

Personal life

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On April 19, 2019, Arman married his wife Milena, and at the beginning of 2020 he became a father to his daughter, whom he named after his mother.[9] In 2022, his second daughter was born.[9]

Controversies

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Altercation at UFC 300

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Before fighting Charles Oliveira at UFC 300, Tsarukyan appeared to strike a fan while walking to the octagon.[54] Dana White said after UFC 300 that he was concerned the company would face legal action from the involved fan. However, Tsarukyan and UFC did not face any legal action.[55] Nevertheless, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) met with Tsarukyan on April 30, 2024, to discuss the incident.[56] They decided to withhold 20% of his fight purse ($31,600 of $158,000).[57]

On June 25, 2024, it was announced that Tsaryukan was fined $25,000 and banned from competition for nine months, making him eligible to compete on January 12, 2025 unless he does an NSAC-approved anti-bullying public service announcement, which would reduce the suspension to six months, making him eligible to compete on October 12, 2024.[58]

Championships and accomplishments

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Mixed martial arts

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Mixed martial arts record

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Professional record breakdown
25 matches 22 wins 3 losses
By knockout 9 1
By submission 5 0
By decision 8 2
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 22–3 Charles Oliveira Decision (split) UFC 300 April 13, 2024 3 5:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States UFC Lightweight title eliminator.
Win 21–3 Beneil Dariush KO (knee and punches) UFC on ESPN: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan December 2, 2023 1 1:04 Austin, Texas, United States Performance of the Night.
Win 20–3 Joaquim Silva TKO (punches) UFC on ESPN: Vettori vs. Cannonier June 17, 2023 3 3:25 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win 19–3 Damir Ismagulov Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Strickland December 17, 2022 3 5:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Loss 18–3 Mateusz Gamrot Decision (unanimous) UFC on ESPN: Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot June 25, 2022 5 5:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Fight of the Night.
Win 18–2 Joel Álvarez TKO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Makhachev vs. Green February 26, 2022 2 1:57 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Performance of the Night.
Win 17–2 Christos Giagos TKO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann September 18, 2021 1 2:09 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Performance of the Night.
Win 16–2 Matt Frevola Decision (unanimous) UFC 257 January 24, 2021 3 5:00 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Catchweight (157 lb) bout; Tsarukyan missed weight.
Win 15–2 Davi Ramos Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2 July 18, 2020 3 5:00 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Win 14–2 Olivier Aubin-Mercier Decision (unanimous) UFC 240 July 27, 2019 3 5:00 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Loss 13–2 Islam Makhachev Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Oleinik April 20, 2019 3 5:00 Saint Petersburg, Russia Fight of the Night.
Win 13–1 Felipe Olivieri KO (head kick) S-70: Plotforma Cup 2018 August 22, 2018 3 1:25 Sochi, Russia
Win 12–1 Júnior Assunção Decision (unanimous) MFP 220: Mayor's Cup 2018 May 26, 2018 3 5:00 Khabarovsk, Russia Defended the FEMFP Lightweight Championship.
Win 11–1 Haotian Wu TKO (spinning back kick to the body and punches) Gods of War World MMA Championship March 24, 2018 3 0:31 Beijing, China
Win 10–1 Takenori Sato Decision (unanimous) MFP 214: Governor's Cup 2017 December 2, 2017 3 5:00 Khabarovsk, Russia Won the FEMFP Lightweight Championship.
Win 9–1 Kim Kyung-pyo Decision (unanimous) Road FC 043 October 28, 2017 3 5:00 Seoul, South Korea
Win 8–1 Márcio Breno Submission (rear-naked choke) S-70: Plotforma Cup 2017 August 8, 2017 1 2:54 Sochi, Russia Return to Lightweight.
Win 7–1 Nizamuddin Ramazanov Submission (rear-naked choke) MFP 209: Mayor's Cup 2017 May 13, 2017 1 2:27 Khabarovsk, Russia Featherweight debut.
Win 6–1 Gustavo Wurlitzer Submission (rear-naked choke) Octagon Fighting Sensation 11 March 4, 2017 1 3:22 Moscow, Russia
Win 5–1 Alexander Belikh Submission (guillotine choke) MFP: Eastern Rubicon 2 December 10, 2016 1 2:51 Khabarovsk, Russia
Win 4–1 Dmitriy Shkrabiy TKO (punches) MFP 204: International Pankration Tournament November 5, 2016 1 2:21 Vladivostok, Russia
Win 3–1 Alexander Merezhko Submission (anaconda choke) MFP: Governor's Pankration Cup 2016 October 21, 2016 2 1:28 Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia
Win 2–1 Ali Khaibulaev KO (punch) MFP: Cup of Administration in Modern Pankration May 6, 2016 1 0:33 Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia
Loss 1–1 Alexander Belikh KO (punch) MFP: Eastern Rubicon December 12, 2015 1 0:30 Khabarovsk, Russia
Win 1–0 Shamil Olokhanov TKO (punches) MFP: Assault Nights of Spassk 2015 September 25, 2015 1 2:47 Spassk-Dalny, Russia Lightweight debut.

[59]

References

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  51. ^ McCorry, Patrick (2024-04-14). "UFC 300: Arman Tsarukyan Takes Next Step, Defeats Ex-Champ Charles Oliveira". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
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