Arman Tsarukyan caused one of the bloodiest cuts in recent memory against Joel Alvarez at UFC Fight Night 202.
Tsarukyan (18-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) opened a gash on Alvarez’s (19-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) nose in the opening round of the lightweight fight on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and although the bout went longer than many expected from there, he eventually got the finish by TKO at the 1:57 mark of Round 2.
A perfectly placed elbow from the guard sliced Alvarez open, and the blood poured from there in a gruesome scene.
Check out the replay below (via Twitter):
The commentary team knew the end was near when this elbow landed 😳 #UFCVegas49 pic.twitter.com/3ATFeBQAoa
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 27, 2022
The lightweight division just got put on NOTICE 🩸
[ @ArmanUFC | #UFCVegas49 ] pic.twitter.com/3HDaoKx6P4
— UFC (@ufc) February 27, 2022
With the win, Tsarukyan has now won five consecutive fights at 155 pounds. And it’s clear he has big goals going forward.
“I’m getting stronger and I’m getting better every day,” Tsarukyan said in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. “It’s my goal (to rematch Islam Makhachev). …We are the best in our division.”
Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 202 results include:
- Arman Tsarukyan def. Joel Alvarez via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:57
- Armen Petrosyan def. Gregory Rodrigues via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
- Ignacio Bahamondes def. Rong Zhu via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 3, 1:40
- Josiane Nunes def. Ramona Pascual via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
- Josiane Nunes def. Ramona Pascual via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
- Terrance McKinney def. Fares Ziam via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:11
- Jonathan Martinez def. Alejandro Perez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Ramiz Brahimaj def. Micheal Gillmore via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:02
- Carlos Hernandez def. Victor Altamirano via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
