Arman Tsarukyan has repaid his debt to Dana White.
“Ahalkalakets” successfully made weight for his backup role at UFC 317 earlier this year in Las Vegas, proving to White and Co. that he remains capable of fulfilling his commitments despite withdrawing from the UFC 311 fight card back in January.
The reward appears to be a title shot against lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria.
“I’m not sharing my opinion, I’m sharing a fact with you: It’s Arman vs. Ilia,” retired UFC middleweight, Chael Sonnen, told MMA Junkie. “That is 100 percent the plan. He got put through purgatory and had to get out of it, but he did. When he showed up, got licensed, weighed in, went through a training camp and he has to sit in the first row and even watch Paddy ‘The Baddy’ get in the ring and get the attention and not him, I’m just saying, there is an appreciation, historically, that has shined down — and it’s also going to be shown to him.”
Tsarukyan was cageside for UFC 317, where Topuria captured the vacant crown by smashing former champion, Charles Oliveira. That led to an impromptu face off with bitter rival, Paddy Pimblett, though White argues the showdown “should’ve never happened.”
Then again, a lot of “wacky” things take place at lightweight.
Tsarukyan (22-3) is the highest ranked contender currently available and remains the most logical choice for Topuria’s first lightweight title defense; however, “El Matador” insists he would rather vacate the strap than throw down with “Ahalkalakets.”
“Matchup-wise, the hardest matchup for Ilia is Arman Tsarukyan,” Sonnen continued. “I think the world would lean toward Topuria right now. He’s just the flavor. He’s hot. He’s undefeated and he’s the champion of the world. (He) should be two-division champion, BMF champion, lineal-wise. But if Tsarukyan gets his hand on you, you’ve got a problem.”
UFC is expected to make an announcement on Topuria’s next fight in the coming weeks.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
