Tsarukyan backs Topuria to chase Makhachev title rather than face him at lightweight

Arman Tsarukyan has given a candid endorsement of Ilia Topuria’s reported plan to skip their lightweight matchup and instead chase Islam Makhachev’s welterweight title, telling reporters at his RAF 9 post-fight scrum that a defeat at 155 pounds would be far more damaging to Topuria’s legacy than losing a super-fight at a higher weight class.

“If UFC lets him move up, he’s going to move up,” Tsarukyan said. “It’s better to fight with Islam than me. Because it’s a third title, big money, and if he loses to Islam, it’s OK. He moved up to a weight class and lose to pound-for-pound [king]. But if he loses to me at 155, he’s gonna be gone.”

Topuria defends his lightweight title against Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC White House in two weeks. Should he win, Topuria has hinted at moving up to 170 pounds to challenge Makhachev — a move that would make him a three-division champion and bypass the mandatory challenge from Tsarukyan, who has spent months lobbying for a title shot.

That uncertainty has left Tsarukyan in a holding pattern. He said his next fight will likely be announced once the Gaethje bout is resolved, projecting a return sometime between September and the end of the year depending on the result. “If it’s Ilia, probably end of this year. If it’s Gaethje, probably September, October,” he said.

On the fight itself, Tsarukyan gave Topuria the edge while refusing to dismiss Gaethje entirely. “I think Ilia Topuria, but Justin, he’s an OG,” he said, pointing to Gaethje’s recent performances against Rafael Fiziev and Paddy Pimblett as evidence the veteran remains dangerous. He put the odds at roughly 60-40 in Topuria’s favour.

Despite his pragmatic take on Topuria’s career strategy, Tsarukyan made clear he still wants the fight and believes public appetite is building. “Everybody wants to see me vs. Ilia. Everybody is excited for that fight. Even me,” he said.

Whether that matchup materialises depends on decisions that remain out of Tsarukyan’s hands. The welterweight division is already crowded with contenders, and the UFC may prefer Topuria — who only moved to lightweight last year — to remain at 155 pounds rather than complicate an already congested title picture at 170.