UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan is convinced that UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje is ducking a fight against him.
Tsarukyan is coming off a brutal knockout win over Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 that cemented his place as the lightweight division’s top contender. But he has not been booked for the title shot as Gaethje is unsure if he’ll fight again.
Arman Tsarukyan Says Justin Gaethje Doesn’t Want to Fight Him
Speaking to Helen Yee, Tsarukyan said he’s convinced that Gaethje doesn’t want to fight him.
“Someone is trying to duck me. Justin Gaethje. Now he’s talking about retirement. Either UFC is going to pay him so much money that he’s going to fight, or he’s just going to retire. They told me they’re going to let me know at the end of November,” Tsarukyan said.
“Someone is trying to duck me. Justin Gaethje. Now he’s talking about retirement. Either UFC is going to pay him so much money that
What Will the UFC Do?
The UFC has been incredibly patient with Gaethje, and rightfully so, as he is one of the best fighters in the world and one of the most popular stars on the UFC roster.
That being said, the rest of the UFC lightweight division cannot just sit around and wait forever, so they need to get some clarity on what the champ wants to do going forward.
If Gaethje wants to keep fighting, then he needs to tell the UFC that and get ready to return to the cage in the first half of 2027, as the lightweight division needs its belt defended.
If he doesn’t want to fight again and prefers to retire, then that’s okay, too, because he is an amazing fighter who has done everything that there is to do in this sport, and there is no shame in Gaethje walking away at the top of his game.
But the UFC lightweight division cannot just sit around any longer and wait for the champ to think about what he wants to do, because there are too many fighters who are deserving to fight for gold, like Tsarukyan, who are seeing their careers get stalled out by having a champion who seems undecided about what he wants to do next.
Arman Tsarukyan Says Justin Gaethje is Ducking Him