Arman Tsarukyan says he will serve as the backup fighter for the UFC 317 main event.
After vacating his UFC featherweight title earlier this year, Ilia Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) is set to face Charles Oliveira (35-10 MMA, 23-10 UFC) for the vacant lightweight championship in the headline bout at T-Mobile Arena on June 28.
Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC), who was forced to withdraw from a scheduled title fight against then-champion Islam Makhachev at the last minute at UFC 311 in January, revealed this week via social media that he’ll weigh in as the alternate for UFC 317’s main event during International Fight Week. Responding to a fan’s question about his next move on Instagram, the Armenian fighter replied: “I’m the backup for UFC 317.”
Tsarukyan’s four-fight win streak—and nine wins in his last ten UFC appearances—culminated in a victory over former champion Oliveira at UFC 300 last summer, which earned him a title shot against Makhachev. However, a severe back injury the day before the fight forced him out, and the UFC replaced him with Renato Moicano, who had been scheduled to face Beneil Dariush on the same card.
After Makhachev defeated Moicano in the first round, UFC President Dana White told reporters that Tsarukyan would no longer be granted an immediate title shot and would need to earn his way back to contention.
Since then, the lightweight division has undergone a major shake-up. Topuria has emerged as a title contender, and Makhachev has officially moved up to 170 pounds. While Tsarukyan likely won’t be needed at UFC 317, his role as backup suggests he’s well-positioned to challenge the winner for the title in the near future.
UFC 317 takes place at T-Mobile Center in Las Vegas on June 28th, and features two title fights at the top of the card. Topuria and Oliveira are set to square off for the vacant lightweight belt, while flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja takes on Kai Kara-France in the co-main event.
