Arman Tsarukyan continues to remain as active as possible while waiting for the UFC lightweight title picture to sort itself out.
Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) currently finds himself on the outside looking in at 155 pounds, as Paddy Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and Justin Gaethje (24-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) prepare to compete for an interim title in the main event of UFC 324 later this month.
After withdrawing at the last minute from his scheduled lightweight title fight against then-champion Islam Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) a year ago, the Armenian contender has work to do to regain the good graces of UFC President Dana White.
Although Tsarukyan has fought only once since then (earning a submission victory over Dan Hooker in November), he has stayed active through a series of professional grappling matches. He also made his debut under the Real American Freestyle Wrestling banner on Saturday night, defeating former PFL champion Lance Palmer.
In the aftermath of that victory, Tsarukyan seized the opportunity to call for a wrestling match against fellow UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler (23-10 MMA, 2-5 UFC), who has been back in the headlines this week as he continues to pursue his long-awaited dream fight against Conor McGregor at a UFC event reportedly scheduled to take place at the White House later this year.
“I see Michael Chandler is calling out somebody,” Tsarukyan told MMA Fighting after his win over Palmer at RAF 5 on Saturday. “He was running out from the UFC. Maybe here he's not going to be a little girl like always, and he's going to wrestle with me. Because his background, he's a wrestler. I'm not a wrestler, you know, I'm just an MMA fighter. Yeah, I wrestle a lot, but still, maybe here he has a little bit (of a) chance to (beat) me, but in UFC (he has)zero chances.”
Former Bellator champion Chandler was in attendance at Amerant Arena in Sunrise, Florida to witness Tsarukyan’s performance, and responded to his callout after the event.
“One thing that I really respect about Arman is even when he's not fighting in the UFC, he's staying active, doing grappling matches, doing wrestling matches,” Chandler told The Schmo. “So that's one thing I will say about him. He's staying active. With that being said I would absolutely smash Arman Tsarukyan in a wrestling match after watching him tonight.
“Now I will say he did look really good, really impressive, but Lance Palmer didn't look as good as he should have tonight. With that being said, Arman, I will smash you in the RAF wrestling ring. But I got my sights set on something later this summer. I think we all know.”
