Former champ suggests Ilia Topuria title fight go to contender who ‘redeemed himself’ at UFC 317

Luke Rockhold says Arman Tsarukyan should get title shot after weighing in as UFC 317 back-up fighter

9-1 since losing to Islam Makhachev in his UFC debut, Arman Tsarukyan still has yet to get a title fight.

The #1 UFC lightweight earned a title shot right after he beat Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 last year, but Tsarukyan declined, as it was a quick turnaround against Makhachev at UFC 302, two months later.

Tsarukyan was supposed to rematch Makhachev at UFC 311 in January, however, a back injury forced Tsarukyan to withdraw the day before the fight. Tsarukyan has had his title opportunity revoked to this day.

Former UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold thinks Tsarukyan should get another crack at the title after making championship weight as the official back-up fighter for the UFC 317 main event.

“He made weight,” Rockhold said of Tsarukyan on the Jaxxon Podcast.

“He redeemed himself and now, he’s back in the game.

“He needed to do what he did,” Rockhold said of Tsarukyan being the back-up fighter.

“The UFC is very sensitive about that kind of stuff.

“You run a big promotion, to get into a situation like that, there’s a little bit of repercussions. But he earned his respect back, and he’s ready to go,” Rockhold added.

Arman Tsarukyan hasn’t fought in 448 days

A high-level grappler, Tsarukyan has been touted as Topuria’s toughest test in the lightweight division.

Coming off back-to-back wins over Beneil Dariush and Oliveira, we haven’t seen Tsarukyan in the Octagon since UFC 300 on Apr. 13, 2024, 448 days ago.

If Tsarukyan were to be given a title fight upon his return, the top contender could be looking at a layoff longer than 20 months.

Tsarukyan has not faced a layoff longer in his MMA career spanning a decade.