TLDR
- Arman Tsarukyan believes Conor McGregor’s fighting career is finished after his knee injury at UFC 329
- Tsarukyan called McGregor a ‘GOAT’ who changed the sport but said it’s ‘time to leave’
- McGregor suffered a devastating knee injury just 66 seconds into his comeback fight after five years away
- Tsarukyan is focused on becoming UFC lightweight champion and is finalizing his next fight in Las Vegas
- The contender wants to face current champion Justin Gaethje and become the best lightweight in UFC history
Sources: mmafighting.com | middleeasy.com
Top UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan believes Conor McGregor’s fighting career is finished, despite the former champion’s insistence that he will return to the octagon.
McGregor suffered a devastating knee injury just 66 seconds into his comeback fight at UFC 329 after a five-year layoff. The injury has raised serious questions about whether the Irish superstar will ever compete again.
Praise for McGregor’s Legacy
Tsarukyan expressed deep respect for McGregor’s contributions to mixed martial arts while speaking to MMA Fighting ahead of RAF 11. “He did a lot for this sport, for the UFC especially, and he’s like a GOAT in our sport,” Tsarukyan said.
The lightweight contender credited McGregor with transforming the UFC’s popularity. “Because of him, a lot of people are watching the UFC. He changed the game but time to leave,” Tsarukyan explained.
Arman Tsarukyan doesn’t see Conor McGregor returning for another fight after his injury at #UFC329
📰 https://t.co/hAnXUKVWyl pic.twitter.com/pI99nFYpow
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) July 18, 2026
Tsarukyan acknowledged that McGregor either suffered the injury during the fight or possibly before it began. “Conor, unfortunately he got [an] injury during the fight or maybe before the fight and he couldn’t perform very well,” he said.
The Armenian fighter suggested that if McGregor does return, the UFC should give him easier opponents. “Or UFC got to give him easy fights, not like Holloway or someone,” Tsarukyan stated.
McGregor has already expressed his desire for a third fight with Max Holloway once he recovers from upcoming knee surgery. However, there is no timeline for when that might happen.
Tsarukyan’s Title Pursuit
Tsarukyan made it clear he has no interest in fighting McGregor himself. He is focused entirely on winning the UFC lightweight championship.
The contender is widely considered the number one challenger at 155 pounds. However, he has yet to compete for a UFC title.
Tsarukyan was previously scheduled to fight then-champion Islam Makhachev for the belt. A freak injury during fight week forced him to withdraw from that opportunity.
With Justin Gaethje now holding the lightweight championship, Tsarukyan wants his shot at the title. “I want to be a champion at 155 and I want to defend that belt as much as possible,” he said.
The fighter revealed he is traveling to Las Vegas to finalize details for his next bout. “UFC’s got to give me a fight. That’s why I’m flying to Vegas and they have a date, I have a name, we’ve just got to confirm on Monday,” Tsarukyan explained.
He did not reveal his potential opponent or the specific date for his return. However, he promised fans an exciting matchup.
Tsarukyan has set his sights on becoming the greatest lightweight champion in UFC history. “My goal is to be the best ever lightweight. I’m not looking to go up or down,” he stated.
The fighter emphasized his commitment to the 155-pound division. “I feel like I can be the best, I just don’t want to be a UFC champion. I want to be the best UFC champion in lightweight division ever,” Tsarukyan said.
Tsarukyan’s next fight details are expected to be confirmed on Monday when he arrives in Las Vegas.
