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Top contender Arman Tsarukyan sleeps ex-UFC champion during wait for UFC title fight

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Sep 20, 2025 1:19 PM ET

Fans are still waiting on news of when Arman Tsarukyan will return to the Octagon, but the top-ranked UFC lightweight did recently pick up an impressive win in grappling.

It’s now been well over a year since fans last saw the 28-year-old compete in MMA and take a split decision over former lightweight king Charles Oliveira at UFC 300. The victory earned Tsarukyan a UFC title shot against then-Champion Islam Makhachev, but he unfortunately was forced out of the fight at the last minute with a back injury.

Now ranked as the lightweight division’s #2 contender, Tsarukyan added a major name to his grappling resume when he submitted former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson at ACBJJ 18 in Moscow, Russia.

Benson Henderson Gets Slept By Arman Tsarukyan

One of the most successful lightweight champions in the history of the UFC, Henderson defended the promotion’s 155 lbs. belt three times after winning it from Frankie Edgar in the headlining bout of UFC 144.

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Following a final UFC win over Jorge Masvidal in 2015, Henderson went on to challenge for Bellator’s lightweight and welterweight belts before one last failed title bid against Usman Nurmagomedov at Bellator 292 signaled the end of his MMA career.

“Smooth” has remained active in various other combat sports ventures since retiring from MMA, but he proved no match for Tsarukyan at ACBJJ 18 and was put unconscious by an arm triangle choke after nearly nine minutes of action.

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Arman Tsarukyan Still In The Mix For UFC Title Shot

The submission gave Tsarukyan three wins out of three grappling appearances this year, as he also took a decision over Makkasharip Zaynukov at Karate Combat 54 in May before he submitted Patricky Pitbull at Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship 10 later that month.

As impressive as his recent grappling performances have been, fans are still patiently waiting for news of when Tsarukyan will make his return to the UFC. Dana White famously declared that the 28-year-old would have to work his way back to a title fight following his withdrawal from UFC 311, and Ilia Topuria now holds the 155 lbs. title with Makhachev set to challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight belt at UFC 322.

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A rematch with Makhachev could still be in Tsarukyan’s future at some point, and perhaps the UFC might approach him about the possibility of stepping in for a second meeting with Oliveira at UFC Rio after Rafael Fiziev recently withdrew from that card’s main event.