Arman Tsarukyan has said he will serve as the back-up fighter for the main event of UFC 317, which pits Ilia Topuria against Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title.
In that bout on 28 June, Topuria will try to become a two-weight champion after vacating the featherweight belt in February, while Oliveira aims to become a two-time lightweight king.
The unbeaten Topuria gave up the 145lb belt after just one defence, having knocked out Alexander Volkanovski to win the strap in February 2024 before scoring the same result against Max Holloway in October. With those two wins, against all-time featherweight greats, Topuria had fans believing that a lengthy title reign would ensue.
But the Spanish-Georgian has explained the ‘suffering’ of cutting weight to 145lb, leading to his move up to 155lb. A super-fight with Islam Makhachev was on the cards, but the dominant champion emulated Topuria by vacating his title to seek welterweight gold.
As such, Topuria will face Oliveira, who dominated Michael Chandler in November to bounce back from a narrow points loss to Tsarukyan and earn a title shot.
Tsarukyan beat the Brazilian at UFC 300 last April, setting up a shot at Makhachev this January. However, Tsarukyan suffered a back injury, leading him to withdraw on one day’s notice, with Makhachev going on to submit Renato Moicano in round one. With that, Tsarukyan lost the chance to avenge his 2019 decision loss to Makhachev.
While Tsarukyan’s rematch with Makhachev might have eluded him forever, the Armenian-Russian still has a chance to become lightweight champion.
That depends on whether Topuria, 28, or Oliveira, 35, sustains an injury or tough weight cut in Las Vegas, although Tsarukyan, 28, may feel that weighing in as the back-up fighter could earn him a shot at the winner, if Topuria vs Oliveira goes ahead.
Tsarukyan confirmed his role on Instagram, replying to a user who asked him: “Next who @arm_011?” The fighter wrote: “I’m the backup for UFC 317.”
