By Aatif Khan,FirstSportz

Copyright yardbarker

The comments from Tsarukyan seemed surprising as he had lost to Islam Makhachev in his UFC debut back in 2019. The Armenian was also set to fight Makhachev back in January 2025 at UFC 311, but had to pull out due to a back injury. However, the two have had some moments of mutual respect recently, ahead of Tsarukyan’s potential title fight against lightweight kingpin Ilia Topuria.

Arman Tsarukyan’s two other picks make perfect sense as the 28-year-old has been training with Khamzat Chimaev. ‘Ahalkalakets’ was also present in the Chechen phenom’s corner when he defeated Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 to win middleweight gold. Regarding Khabib Nurmagomedov, the Armenian has on multiple occasions praised the ‘Eagle’ and deemed him a source of inspiration.

While this was a lighthearted response to a playful question, it highlights how Tsarukyan views strength and reliability within his circle. By picking fighters who share both regional roots and championship pedigrees, he revealed not just his sense of loyalty but also his vision of what it takes to dominate in any setting.

Arman Tsarukyan is set to fight Benson Henderson at ACBJJ 18

Arman Tsarukyan, currently ranked No. 2 in the UFC lightweight division, is set to face former UFC champion Benson Henderson in a grappling superfight at the upcoming ACBJJ 18 event. The event takes place on September 19, 2025, in Moscow, Russia, at the Dynamo Volleyball Arena.