Arman Tsarukyan’s journey to the title shot was nothing short of spectacular. With just two losses in his promotional record, and both where Tsarukyan gave his opponents a night to remember, ‘Akhalkalakets’ has earned his place in the upper echelons in the lightweight division. And how we waited to see the much-awaited rematch between him and champion Islam Makhachev. However, his injury served as a bitter blow not just to him but also to fans and even UFC head honcho Dana White, who stated that it was “back to the drawing board” for the #1-ranked lightweight contender.

Details of the injury revealed that it was a back injury sustained during training, which worsened as the fight week progressed. Despite his determination to push through, the medical team deemed him unfit to compete, with his team prioritizing his long-term health and career. While the injury disrupted his momentum, many believe that Tsarukyan has the talent and mindset to rebound and find a title shot again.

But the title wasn’t just what Arman Tsarukyan lost due to his injury – he lost a whole lot of money as well. He brought in elite coaches and sparring partners as well which was revealed by Black Belt MMA on their Instagram page. Tsraukyan shared the details of his camp and said, “At my last camp, I had 15 people with me – four coaches and 11 sparring partners. Two weeks cost me $20 thousand, one month cost me $40 thousand. Plus flights, the salary of coaches is about 15-16 thousand.” 

We all know Tsarukyan is quite well off, given that his family is worth multi-millions, according to Bloody Elbow. Still, spending close to $50,000 must have stung even for ‘Akhakalakets’. Now, it looks like he won’t get his hard-earned title shot upon his return, according to Dana White. And UFC veteran Chael Sonnen seems to agree with the boss man.

Chael Sonnen gives the reason for Dana White not wanting to back Tsarukyan again

It’s a tough moment for Arman Tsarukyan fans after he missed out on the biggest fight of his career at UFC 311. Following the event, Dana White made it clear that ‘Akhalkalakets’ might just have to wait to get his immediate rematch again. While some disagree with the UFC CEO’s decision, MMA legend and outspoken analyst Chael Sonnen has voiced his support for White’s stance. When a pay-per-view event succeeds, the credit typically goes to Dana White and his team. However, when things don’t go as planned, it’s often White who faces the brunt of the criticism, more so than the fighters.

With so much money at stake in these events, Chael Sonnen believes White is reluctant to take another risk, which is why he’s hesitant to reinsert Arman Tsarukyan into the title picture so soon. Sonnen took to his YouTube channel to point out why he thinks it’s the right call. He said, “If Dana was to just go rebook this match [Islam vs. Arman]… everything’s the same – same weight, same placement in the main event, same title on the line and he lost it. Could you imagine? It’s now not a debate. It’s now not on Tsarukyan vs the field, it’s on Dana,”. 

It looks like a rematch between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan won’t be happening anytime soon, and Tsarukyan seems fine with that. Instead, he’s focused on working his way back up and is eyeing a different rematch against Charles Oliveira. Who do you think he should fight next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.