UFC lightweight champion and No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter Islam Makhachev is gearing up for a high-stakes title defense on Saturday against top contender Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311 at the brand new Intuit Dome in Inglewood. The two 155-pounders last met in 2019, when Makhachev secured a unanimous decision victory. Tsarukyan has since been on an impressive run, going 9–1 and earning his shot at the title in the first UFC PPV of the year.
In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated's Doug Vazquez, Makhachev acknowledged Tsarukyan's growth as a fighter, noting his physical and technical improvements. "Yeah, of course he's improved. He's become like grown up, become a man. You know now he's older and he’s improved a lot. But his style is the same, always. He tries to take down people. He’s good on that. That's why he's a No. 1 contender," Makhachev said.
