Lightweight contender shares eye-opening take on Islam Makhachev's weakness Arman Tsarukyan could exploit at UFC 311

Islam Makhachev is set to rematch Arman Tsarukyan later this month at UFC 311 with his lightweight title on the line.

While the reigning champion defeated 'Ahalkalakets' via a closely contested unanimous decision in their first outing in 2019, a lightweight contender believes there are holes in the Dagestani's game Tsarukyan could exploit this time around.

During a recent interview with Inside Fighting, 155-pounder Joe Solecki previewed how the UFC 311 main event would play out. As the 31-year-old sees it, despite his laudable proficiency in combat sambo, Makhachev is far from an expert fighting off of his back.

Detailing Tsarukyan's path to victory at the pay-per-view, Solecki said:

"I would imagine Arman putting him on his back. I don't think Islam is great off of his back, you know. I think he is a great grappler. I'm sure he has a decent game there but it's not where he chooses to be."

Check out Joe Solecki's comments on Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan below (10:59):

As the New Jersey native sees it, Makhachev would benefit from standing and trading with his opponent on the feet till the challenger tires out.

A win against Tsarukyan would help the lightweight kingpin clinch four title defenses, eclipsing his mentor and friend Khabib Nurmagomedov and other 155-pound legends in that regard.

If the challenger emerges the victor, he'll become the only man to beat Makhachev since his lone career loss in 2015 to Adriano Martins.

UFC 311 is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 18 at Intuit Dome, California. The stacked card will feature a bantamweight title clash between champion Merab Dvalishvili and No.2-ranked contender Umar Nurmagomedov as the co-main event.

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Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan: UFC 311 betting odds

When the UFC 311 main event was first announced, Islam Makhachev had opened as a -218 favorite over Arman Tsarukyan (+180 underdog) per FightOdds. However, the odds have since shifted further in the lightweight champion's favor.

Per the live odds on the UFC website, Makhachev is a -360 favorite over his opponent (+285 underdog). Since the fight is almost a week out, the final betting lines might be significantly different.

According to the current money line, a successful $100 wager on the champion would return a payout of $127.78, while the same bet on Tsarukyan would result in a more lucrative winning of $385 if he gets his hand raised.