Overview
- Dana White said at the UFC 323 press conference that Arman Tsarukyan must work his way back and that rankings do not guarantee a title shot.
- Tsarukyan will compete in a submission-only grappling match against UFC middleweight Shara Magomedov on 30 December under the Hype FC banner at 185 pounds.
- White cited Tsarukyan’s fight-week withdrawal from his UFC 311 title bout with Islam Makhachev due to a back injury as the reason for the setback in title contention.
- Tsarukyan is the official No. 1 lightweight after a dominant submission of Dan Hooker in Doha in November 2025, extending a strong win streak at 155 pounds.
- With champion Ilia Topuria taking a short break, the UFC scheduled an interim title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett on 24 January, and analysis pieces argue White’s stance conflicts with TKO executive Nick Khan’s rank-based matchmaking assurances.