In the mixed martial arts industry, there is a pattern that holds true repeatedly. Many fighters reach the top after having gone through turbulent periods where poverty was part of their daily lives. There are many examples of improvement. Charles Oliveira’s rise from deep poverty in the Brazilian favelas to becoming UFC champion. Jiri Prochazka’s redemption from street fights and ultra football groups to touching the sky with the world title. Or the impeccable reign of Khabib Nurmagomedov coming from the humble life of the mountains of Dagestan. But there is a story that escapes the normal. The story of Arman Tsarukyan. The billionaire UFC fighter who will seek to win the lightweight title at UFC 311 this Saturday.
He is the only wealthy man from birth who fights with the dedication of someone who has nothing. And Tsarukyan has been living a very wealthy lifestyle his entire life, thus breaking the stereotype that one must grow through adversity to succeed in the world of martial arts. His father, Nairi Tsarukyan, He is a businessman dedicated to construction, which allowed Arman to grow up in an environment where money and investments were part of his daily life, being the second of three brothers. At 18, his daily life was surrounded by luxury cars, extravagant watches and private jets.
In fact, it was there when he made his professional debut in mixed martial arts on September 25, 2015 against Shamil Olokhanov, winning by TKO in the first round. In his next fight, he fell to Alexander Belikh by knockout in the first round. But he didn’t give up. Tsarukyan continued to forge a professional career in MMA, winning a dozen fights, building a 13-1 record that allowed him to enter the UFC. Already within the American company, in April 2019, Tsarukyan debuted on short notice against Islam Makhachev, putting together a great performance in which he came to dominate some fighting movements and managed to take the fight to a decision. And, in fact, they won the fight of the night award. Now, his time will come to take revenge.
The truth is that since that initial setback against Makhachev, Tsarukyan won five consecutive victories, including the already famous victory against the Spanish Joel Álvarez in February 2022. Before, Olivier Aubin-Mercier, Davi Ramos, Matt Frevola and Christos Giagos, knocking out the latter. In June 2022, a new learning came for the Armenian, when he fell by a very close decision against Mateusz Gamrot in a fight that will remain in the annals of history due to the technical display in the fight. It was nothing more than another stone in the road, because from that moment on he managed to put together a streak of 4 consecutive wins against Damir Ismagulov, Joaquim Silva, Beneil Dariush and the last one, at UFC 300, against Charles Oliveira. This earned him his title shot.
This Saturday, Tsarukyan will have the opportunity to unseat one of the strongest lightweight champions in memory. Makhachev has successfully defended his title three times, just as his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, did. If the Armenian managed to defeat the Russian monarch, it would ruin the plans of the UFC featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria, who is looking to move up a division to face Makhachev, making this hypothetical fight one of the biggest. what the UFC can do currently, would move away. We will clear up doubts this weekend.
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