Overview
- Tsarukyan dominated former PFL champion and four-time NCAA All-American Lance Palmer with a 10-0 technical fall in the first period at RAF 5 in Sunrise, Florida.
- The No. 1 lightweight remains out of the UFC 324 interim title fight, which features Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett, after Dana White pointed to recent conduct and trust concerns.
- Tsarukyan accused the promotion of favoring Pimblett and argued the UFC chose marketability over rankings in setting the interim matchup.
- He said the UFC did not contact him to serve as backup for UFC 324 and that he will not cut weight just to stand by without a guaranteed bout, though he maintains he can step in if needed.
- After the RAF win he called out Michael Chandler for a wrestling match, and in a separate interview he expressed regret over the Hooker headbutt and his late withdrawal from UFC 311.