![Arman Tsarukyan (left) speaks about fighting Islam Makhachev (right) [Image courtesy: Getty]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/08/1f685-17246777294682-1920.jpg)
![Arman Tsarukyan (left) speaks about fighting Islam Makhachev (right) [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,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan has spoken about the timeline for a possible championship fight against Islam Makhachev. An X account named @Home_of_Fight recently uploaded a video of an interaction between Tsarukyan and Ushatayka's YouTube channel.
During the interview, 'Akhalkalakets' shared that him and Makhachev were originally expected to lock horns in October. But the timing did not work out and according to Tsarukyan, the fight is now expected to take place in December.
"The fight had to happen in October but it was re-scheduled. Now, we have talks about December."
Tsarukyan was asked about the possibility of entertaining an interim title fight in case Makhachev was not available for a bout in December. The 27-year-old responded by saying that if the Dagestani was out of action till 2025 spring, the UFC might opt to schedule an interim lightweight title matchup with him as one of the fighters.
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"It depends on when he can return. If he can't compete by spring, I think [the UFC] will make a fight for an interim title."
Check out Arman Tsarukyan's comments below:
Tsarukyan and Makhachev have fought before in the UFC in April 2019. The fight was an exciting affair that went the 15-minute distance. In the end, Makhachev scored a victory via unanimous decision.
A brief look at Arman Tsarukyan's run in the UFC
Arman Tsarukyan's stint in the UFC has been impressive as of now. 'Akhalkalakets' has been a part of 11 UFC bouts and has gotten his hand raised in nine of them.
His run in the promotion includes victories over names like Beneil Dariush, Damir Ismagulov and Joel Alvarez.
He was last seen in action at UFC 300 when he went toe-to-toe against former champion Charles Oliveira in a lightweight scrap.
The fight turned out to be a close contest that went to the judges' scorecards. The 27-year-old managed to edge out a victory via split decision. The three judges scored the bout 28-29, 29-28 and 29-28 in favor of Tsarukyan.
