TLDR
- Arman Tsarukyan was denied an interim lightweight title shot despite dominating Dan Hooker in November
- The UFC booked Paddy Pimblett vs Justin Gaethje for the interim title instead at UFC 324
- Tsarukyan revealed he plans to pursue triathlon after his MMA career ends
- Dana White cited ‘behind the scenes’ issues and Tsarukyan’s withdrawal from a previous title fight
- Tsarukyan will compete in a grappling match against Mehdi Baydukaev in Moscow and against Shara Magomedov on December 30
Sources: EssentiallySports | BJPenn.com | Total Pro Sports | AOL
Arman Tsarukyan has shared his plans for life after mixed martial arts, revealing he wants to pursue triathlon as tensions with UFC president Dana White continue to keep him away from a title shot.
The top-ranked UFC lightweight recently told ACBJJ that he plans to take up triathlon once his fighting career ends. He said he is already skilled at cycling and swimming and would just need to add running to compete.
“I’m very good at riding a bicycle and I swim well, just add running and you’ll be traveling the world, there are competitions, the communities are diverse, you meet different people and it’s such an interesting hobby,” Tsarukyan said in the interview.
Arman Tsarukyan intends to take up triathlon once he retires from MMA
"I’m going to take up triathlon altogether. I’m very good at riding a bicycle and I swim well; just add running and you’ll be traveling the world. There are competitions, the communities are diverse, you meet… pic.twitter.com/j5HwuAynLM
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) December 16, 2025
The 29-year-old fighter emphasized that he won’t stop training after his MMA career concludes. Instead, he sees triathlon as a way to stay active while exploring new communities and traveling internationally.
Title Shot Controversy Continues
Tsarukyan finds himself in a difficult position with the UFC despite his recent performance. In November, he dominated and submitted Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar, which many believed would earn him a title shot.
However, the UFC announced an interim lightweight championship fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett for UFC 324 in January. Both fighters are ranked below Tsarukyan in the division.
Dana White addressed the decision at a recent press conference, referencing Tsarukyan’s withdrawal from a scheduled title fight with Islam Makhachev earlier this year. Tsarukyan pulled out on one day’s notice, citing a back injury.
“He’s gonna have to work his way back,” White said. “I don’t give a s*** what the number [ranking] says. Too much goes into this for those type of things to happen. You can’t do that.”
White also mentioned “behind the scenes” issues contributed to the decision to pass over Tsarukyan for the title opportunity. The UFC president made it clear the fighter is not in the promotion’s good books currently.
Pursuing Grappling Outside UFC
While waiting for another chance at UFC gold, Tsarukyan has stayed active in grappling competitions outside the promotion. Between May and September, he competed in three grappling matches, defeating Makkasharip Zaynukov, Patricky Pitbull, and Benson Henderson.
He is scheduled to compete for the ACBJJ belt against Mehdi Baydukaev in Moscow. The date for that competition has not been publicly announced.
Tsarukyan also has a submission-only jiu-jitsu match booked against UFC middleweight Shara Magomedov on December 30 under the Hype FC banner. The match will take place at 185 pounds, 30 pounds above Tsarukyan’s normal fighting weight.
Arman Tsarukyan putting in the grappling work with Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling Zaurbek Sidakov for his ACBJJ match 🤼♂️🏅 pic.twitter.com/Tsj3hPoxvg
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) December 16, 2025
In a submission-only format, the contest can only be won when one fighter forces the other to tap out. Points do not factor into the outcome.
Tsarukyan comes from a financially stable background, with his father running a $100 million real estate business. This financial security means he faces no immediate pressure to accept fights or make career decisions based solely on money.
After the UFC announced the Gaethje vs Pimblett fight, Tsarukyan tweeted “Make it make sense,” expressing his frustration with being overlooked. His last UFC fight before defeating Hooker took place in April 2024, meaning he had limited octagon activity throughout the year.
The Armenian fighter will compete in the grappling match against Magomedov on December 30, giving him competition while he waits to see if his path back to a UFC title shot becomes clearer in 2026.
