UFC light-weight champion Islam Makhachev believes Arman Tsarukyan ought to present him gratitude for kickstarting his UFC profession.
Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) made his UFC debut in a short-notice matchup towards Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) again in April 2019. He misplaced a back-and-forth Combat of the Night time unanimous determination and has since gone 9-1 to climb into light-weight title rivalry.
Makhachev takes credit score for giving a 22-year-old Tsarukyan the massive alternative.
“I feel Arman ought to thank me. I signed Arman for a struggle towards me,” Makhachev instructed UFC Eurasia. “He acquired signed to the UFC. I didn’t know something about Arman then. I haven’t seen him struggle. I simply considered him as a debutant. I wouldn’t name it a detailed struggle though many individuals say it was. I gained each spherical, however Arman nonetheless requires a rematch.”
Tsarukyan emerged as No. 1 contender when he defeated Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in April however declined the short-notice alternative to rematch Makhachev in Saturday’s UFC 302 (pay-per-view/ESPN2/ESPN+) primary occasion. Makhachev faces Dustin Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) as a substitute at Prudential Middle in Newark, N.J.
“He had many alternatives to come back out as an alternative,” Makhachev mentioned. “I do know that earlier than UFC 302, he was supplied to struggle me. Both method, our rematch is inevitable. We’ll settle this quickly.”
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