LAS VEGAS – Arman Tsarukyan has serious doubts Michael Chandler is going to get the chance to step in the octagon with Conor McGregor, and he’s offering an alternative.
After scoring a third-round TKO win over Joaquim Silva in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 46 co-headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, the surging lightweight contender Tsarukyan (20-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) made it known he wants a top-five name next.
His first desired matchup is with Beneil Dariush, but he doesn’t think it will fit his timeline for October’s UFC 294 event in Abu Dhabi. Because of that, he wants Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) instead.
“If you want to ask me, for sure I want to fight with Michael Chandler,” Tsarukyan told reporters, including MMA Junkie, post-fight at UFC on ESPN 46. Because it looks like his fight with Conor McGregor is over. He got to fight with someone, and I am here. I have good win streak and let’s do this fight, because I’m the youngest guy in top 15. He’s the older one. I think for fans it’s good when new generation fights with older generation.”
Chandler has been lined up for a fight with McGregor for the majority of this year, but there are many questions around it. They are opposing coaches on the current season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show, which was filmed several months ago. McGregor must re-enter the USADA drug testing program before any steps toward his comeback fight can be made.
Moreover, though, McGregor has recently been caught up in negative headlines as he was accused of sexual assault and rape following Game 4 of the NBA Finals in Miami this month. The situation is still unfolding, but the former two-division UFC champion has denied any wrongdoing through his representatives.
Even with that issues aside, though, Tsarukyan says he sees nothing from McGregor that indicates to him a fight is on the horizon.
“I saw what McGregor’s doing,” Tsarukyan said. “He’s like relaxing on his yacht, like drink alcohol, goes to the beach, smoke weed. I train with the crazy guys. I live in the gym, train three, two times a day. He’s not going to fight.”
Ultimately, Tsarukyan just wanted a chance to break through to the upper echelon at 155 pounds. He doesn’t care who it is, but after having to face an unranked opponent at UFC on ESPN 46, he craves more.
“If Dariush can fight in Abu Dhabi in October, definitely I want fight with him,” Tsarukyan said. “If not, you know me, I’m going to fight with everybody. But everybody from top five, forever. Chandler or Dariush or whatever. I think fight with Dariush, it makes sense.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 46.
