![Aram Tsarukyan (left) takes lightweight elites to task as a title fight against Islam Makhachev (right) continues to elude him. [Image courtesy: Getty].](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/a2c44-17426616532821-1920.jpg)
![Aram Tsarukyan (left) takes lightweight elites to task as a title fight against Islam Makhachev (right) continues to elude him. [Image courtesy: Getty].](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgT/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAKyAFH//xAAfEAACAgEEAwAAAAAAAAAAAAACAwERBAAFBgcUUdL/2gAIAQEAAT8A7w5R5PGt/BAGB4O/LI5qrpTV/OsTJYWIkmrWTJAZKfc1r//EABYRAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADMf/aAAgBAgEBPwBcP//EABoRAAICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERAAIDYbH/2gAIAQMBAT8AzhXQ1yf/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Arman Tsarukyan could not take on Islam Makhachev at UFC 313 after suffering an injury that forced him to withdraw from the UFC lightweight title fight. UFC CEO Dana White dismissed his chances of getting an immediate title shot after the pay-per-view event. Tsarukyan has now taken shots at the leading lightweight fighters while asserting his position in the division.
The 28-year-old Georgian fighter is currently ranked No. 1 in the UFC's lightweight division. He got a chance to challenge Makhachev after defeating Charles Oliveira in a title eliminator bout at UFC 300. After withdrawing from the bout due to an injury, Tsarukyan found himself out of the title race and multiple names are being speculated as Makhachev's upcoming opponent.
In his recent post on X, the former title challenger trained his guns at the top lightweight fighters while asking them to earn their shot or "sit down."
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"I'm the true #1 contender, ready to prove it against anyone. But how am I supposed to do that when everyone else just wants to fight on paper? Charles, Justin - you can sit and wait, or you can step up and earn it."
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Check out Arman Tsarukyan's tweet below:
Arman Tsarukyan wants anyone from top five as his next opponent
Arman Tsarukyan has recovered from his back injury and is ready to return to the octagon. He is coming off a split decision victory over the former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in his recent fight.
In a brief conversation with The Schmo, Tsarukyan shared his thoughts on his future fight. He revealed his desire to fight against one of the top five contenders, while remaining positive about the prospects of contesting for the lightweight championship.
"I wanna fight with contenders you know someone from top five. It's Gaethje or Oliveira, Gaethje wants to fight for the title, it makes sense to fight with me because, nobody is gonna give him a title fight, it's not gonna be fair that he's gonna get title fight. So, he gotta beat me or Oliveira to get that title fight. There is Ilia too, I think they're gonna give me Oliveira, Gaethje or the title fight."
Check out Arman Tsarukyan's comments below (3:25):
