Arman Tsarukyan has been out of action inside the UFC Octagon since he suffered a last-minute back spasm against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311. On top of that, his last outing was at UFC 300, where he beat Charles Oliveira to earn his opportunity against the Dagestani champion in January. It’s been more than 365 days since the Armenian has graced the cage. However, that didn’t stop him from exploring other exciting options outside the promotion.
Recently, the #1 ranked 155fer participated in a submission grappling bout against Team Khabib at the prelims of Karate Combat 54 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which went in his favor via unanimous decision, but his opponent, Makkasharip Zaynukov, wasn’t very happy about it. For the unversed, Zaynukov, a Dagestani MMA fighter, is currently signed with PFL and trains with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Makhachev.
He welcomed Tsarukyan to test his grappling might in an encounter that turned out to be not so captivating, despite the story attached to it. Both fighters seemed evenly matched during the fight, but ‘Ahalkalakets’ swept the majority of the rounds by evading most of the takedown attempts and also shooting a few single legs.
The #1 ranked lightweight in the world, after securing the victory over a member of Khabib’s team, didn’t shy away from calling out another. In the post-fight interview, he said, “Can’t wait for the next one, I need one more guy from Khabib’s team.” Tsarukyan was definitely happy, but Zaynukov, after the match, had a problem with the judging and also felt another round would’ve made the difference.
Ushatayka uploaded the interview on Instagram, where the interview was captioned, “I thought we would have a draw – and they would give an extra round. He didn’t do anything. Just stood still the whole time. I haven’t done anything either… It would be fair to give a third round and choose the winner. He didn’t knock me down, I didn’t knock him down. I don’t know what kind of rules they have. It seemed like they said that it was painful, submissive.”
He added, “No one did anything to anyone, why they decided to [give Tsarukyan victory]. I don’t understand. He nearly suffocated. From the corner, I was also told that he suffocated. I wanted to win so badly, so I didn’t risk it somewhere. We fought on our hands, but we just had to take a risk. I wouldn’t say he was physically strong, as everybody says he was. It’s just, probably flexible – when you pour and so on. Honestly, Islam is completely different. Islam is much more difficult. There can be a difference that can be felt. Maybe he [Tsarukyan] is out of shape. I’ve got a void inside. It was actually a good chance to win.”
Both fighters grappled for two rounds, totaling 10 minutes. Zaynukov gave his best effort and looked pretty decent while attempting takedowns, but Tsarukyan looked a little sharper, especially when it came to stuffing those attempts. Maybe it’s the training he put in before the Makhachev fight that’s still etched into his muscle memory. Would another round have made a difference? Maybe. But ‘Ahalkalakets’ won the match, and that’s the result, even if he didn’t seem all that thrilled about it either.
Arman Tsarukyan apologized to the audience after his performance at Karate Combat 54
Self-assessment and realization are crucial parts of any promotion, whether it’s fighting or writing. Arman Tsarukyan understood that the 10 minutes he spent on the mat with his opponent weren’t the most thrilling experience for the audience. So, like a gentleman, he immediately apologized to the crowd, also recognizing his opponent’s efforts in the process.
At the post-fight interview, he stated, “I knew this fight was gonna be like this, boring. When two guys they know freestyle wrestling is difficult to takedown. If you bring an MMA fighter versus a jiu-jitsu guy, it’s gonna be more ground game, you know? Sorry, it was not too good for fans, but I hope you enjoyed it. I haven’t fought in one year, and that’s why I came and wrestled today. My opponent was a very hard guy. Nobody knows him a lot because he fights in Russia, but he’s from a strong team and was tough.”
It takes a lot of guts to admit the fight was boring, especially after securing a win over a rival camp, which makes it even more commendable. That being said, what would you have done if you were in this situation? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Team Khabib Fighter Makes Excuse After Losing to Arman Tsarukyan in Karate Combat 54 Grappling Match appeared first on EssentiallySports.
