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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Farah Hannoun and Ken Hathaway

Arman Tsarukyan says he’s the one to beat UFC champ Islam Makhachev, ‘gave him the toughest fight in his career’

LAS VEGAS – Arman Tsarukyan doesn’t expect anyone to beat UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev – except for himself.

Tsarukyan (18-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) had that opportunity against Makhachev (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) in his UFC debut in April 2019, but he fell short in a high-level grappling match that earned Fight of the Night.

Makhachev hasn’t lost since then and went on to capture the UFC lightweight title with a dominant submission finish of Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. Tsarukyan, on the other hand, has gone 5-1 since losing to Makhachev with his lone loss coming in a controversial decision to Mateusz Gamrot this past June.

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