Arman Tsarukyan has stated he would combat Paddy Pimblett this summer time in a UFC light-weight title eliminator.
Tsarukyan is the present No. 1 contender to the light-weight strap, having defeated Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in his final combat.
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The Armenian was meant to combat Islam Makhachev for the title in January, however the UFC 311 foremost occasion was scrapped on the final minute when Tsarukyan suffered an damage to his again.
This put Tsarukyan in Dana White’s dangerous books, because the UFC CEO confirmed that he wouldn’t be thrust again into a direct title shot after Makhachev defeated late alternative Renato Moicano.
Makhachev has since determined to vacate his light-weight title, with Ilia Topuria preventing Oliveira for that honour at UFC 317 subsequent month.
Tsarukyan is at present ready to listen to from UFC representatives concerning his subsequent combat, and he would welcome a conflict with Pimblett.
“[Pimblett] appeared superb in his final combat,” Tsarukyan instructed Crimson Nook MMA.
“Now, we are able to say that he can beat high 10 fights. He’s quantity eight [in the rankings] or one thing, and he’s not gonna combat very quickly.
“Perhaps he desires to combat on the finish of this 12 months, however I wanna combat this summer time after which on the finish of this 12 months.
“I’ll take [a fight with Pimblett in the summer] as a result of he has an enormous identify.
“He simply beat Michael Chandler and he has a six or seven [fight] win streak.
“He’s by no means misplaced within the UFC, it is sensible. To get again and get extra … followers from the UK.”
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UFC light-weight rankings
Champion: N/A
- Arman Tsarukyan
- Charles Oliveira
- Justin Gaethje
- Max Holloway
- Dustin Poirier
- Dan Hooker
- Mateusz Gamrot
- Paddy Pimblett
- Beneil Dariush
- Renato Moicano
- Rafael Fiziev
- Michael Chandler
- Benoit Saint-Denis
- Grant Dawson
- Joel Alvarez
Pimblett is undefeated within the UFC since his promotional debut in September 2021, ending three of his seven opponents within the first spherical.
‘The Baddy’ dominated Chandler in his final bout at UFC 314 in April, stopping the American within the third spherical following some nasty floor and pound.
He’s now only one combat away from a title shot and will discover himself contesting for gold very quickly.
Ex-featherweight champion Topuria fights former light-weight king Oliveira for the belt at 155 lbs subsequent month.
Pimblett has admitted he desires Topuria to win that combat as it could make his title shot inevitable.
“[It would be] sick, 4 years within the making,” Pimblett stated, referring to his longtime rivalry with Topuria, which dates again to when the pair have been concerned in a scrap exterior of the Octagon at a London lodge in March 2022.
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The UFC are but to announce how Pimblett’s future will look within the promotion.
Pimblett may combat somebody like Tsarukyan, however he could favour a better combat with a reputation like No. 3 ranked Justin Gaethje, who defeated Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313 in his final combat.
Nonetheless, victory over both man would tee Pimblett up completely for a title shot towards the winner of Topuria and Oliveira.
The Liverpudlian has admitted himself {that a} combat towards Topuria can be the largest the UFC could make, alongside Tom Aspinall vs Jon Jones.
And he is proper, given the mutual hatred shared by each fighters and the storyline concerned.
Each males have traded numerous on-line blows following their 2019 encounter and would make for an absolute spectacle in the event that they wound up preventing for light-weight gold.
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