Arman Tsarukyan’s path to a light-weight title shot and a rematch with champion Islam Makhachev seems extremely shut to finish.
Regardless of a harmful D’Arce choke try within the closing seconds of Spherical 3, Tsarukyan was capable of survive till the ultimate horn to barely outpoint former champion Charles Oliveira by way of cut up resolution on Saturday in a featured 155-pound bout at UFC 300 inside T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas.
Tsarukyan (35-9) relied on well timed takedowns and a affected person offensive assault to maneuver one step nearer towards avenging a aggressive resolution loss to Makhachev in his UFC debut again in 2019. The Armenian-Russian, who was born in Georgia, took residence a pair of 29-28 scores whereas the third decide scored it the identical for Oliveira. CBS Sports activities additionally scored the bout 29-28 for Tsarukyan.
“It was 5 years in the past in my UFC debut on quick discover that I gave Makhachev his hardest battle to this point,” Tsarukyan stated. “I will win if he simply provides me that chance, that is it.”
Whether or not or not Tsarukyan will get the following shot at Makhachev might depend on timing as veteran Dustin Poirier is recent off of a breakthrough stoppage win over Benoit Sant-Denis. The subsequent light-weight title challenger might additionally come from the winner of Saturay’s BMF title bout between Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway.
Both manner, Tsarukyan placed on a efficiency worthy of title consideration as he broke free from a deep guillotine try in Spherical 1 towards Oliveira, who holds the UFC document for each submission and stoppage victories.
Much more importantly, Tsarukyan by no means misplaced his poise or gameplan throughout the pure chaos that Oliveira (34-10, 1 NC) brings to just about each battle. Tsarukyan labored a key takedown in Spherical 2 and went on to chop Oliveira’s face with flush elbows.
“Thanks a lot to Oliveira. He is likely one of the good guys in our division who gave me this chance,” Tsarukyan stated. “I do not know why one decide gave it to him but it surely’s OK. It does not matter as a result of I received and I need to battle for the title subsequent. I will be the youngest champion within the 155-pound division.”
With the battle seemingly up for grabs coming into the ultimate spherical, Tsarukyan secured a late takedown in Spherical 3 and retained management till a late Oliveira reversal produced a threatening choke within the remaining seconds.
“I believed it was going to be all judges going to offer it to me however it’s what it’s,” Tsarukyan stated. “I acquired a win simply by taking on the end and Charles is so robust that I’ve to work on my abilities and are available again a lot stronger.”
Tsarukyan improved to 9-1 since his loss to Makhachev, which features a disputed resolution defeat to Mateusz Gamrot in 2022. Oliveira, 34, suffered his first defeat since being submitted by Makhachev of their vacant title bout two years in the past.