Overview

• Tsarukyan finished former UFC champion Benson Henderson with an arm-triangle choke in a no-gi superfight at ACBJJ 18 in Moscow, leaving Henderson unconscious before the referee stopped it.
• Following the win, Tsarukyan reiterated his belief that Topuria is more likely to face Paddy Pimblett next than Justin Gaethje, framing it as his opinion on the UFC’s plans.
• Ilia Topuria has not announced a first lightweight title defense and has been publicly promoting a potential boxing bout with Terence Crawford.
• Competing views persist: Charles Oliveira says Tsarukyan deserves the shot, Michael Chiesa argues Gaethje has earned it, and Dana White previously pushed back on the idea that Pimblett vs. Topuria is set.
• Tsarukyan withdrew from a planned UFC 311 title fight with Islam Makhachev due to a back injury and has stayed active with grappling wins this year over Patricky Pitbull and Makkasharip Zaynukov.