The lightweight division is perhaps the most stacked division in the UFC. And it is dominated by veterans like Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, and Charles Oliveira, who have successfully prevented the next generation of fighters from making it through by defeating them. With one notable exception.
Arman Tsarukyan, the 27-year-old Armenian lightweight flattened then #4 ranked Beneil Dariush in the first round to break through into the top-five of the rankings. And now, he faces a do-or-die moment as he sets up to face former champion Charles Olveira. And the winner of the bout has been promised a shot at the 155-pound title next; ahead of this consequential bout, let us take a look at his walkout song.
Arman Tsarukyan walks out to traditional Armenian warrior song
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Arman Tsarukyan’s number one title bout against Charles Oliveira is shaping up to be a cracker. The Armenian is confident of victory and has called out his distinguished opponent for being “one-dimensional” and relying on his grappling too much, which ‘Do Bronx’ laughed at.
Given this animosity and bad blood between the two, it is likely that someone is going to sleep in their main card contest. Tsarukyan, who hails from Armenia, will look to channel his inner Armenian warrior and has promised to put on a clinical performance to announce himself to the UFC world in emphatic fashion.
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And one of the ways he makes his intention clear is his walk-out song. The 27-year-old walks out to the traditional Armenian warrior song ‘Yarkhusta’, reflecting his heritage and warrior spirit, which he is determined to use to devastating effect against Oliveira.
Tsarukyan wants to choke out ‘Do Bronx’
After his Charles Oliveira UFC 300 bout, “everybody is going to know me,” Arman Tsarukyan promised in a recent interview. The 27-year-old, who had lost to then up-and-coming lightweight prospect Islam Makhachev in 2019, is eager to rematch the champion and avenge his loss.
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This, however, has not distracted him from his upcoming clash against Oliveira. The Armenian wants not only to beat Oliveira in emphatic fashion, but to humiliate him by beating ‘Do Bronx’ at his own game. “The best-case scenario is choke him out. Because people are going to talk about me. He choked out the best jiu jitsu guy on the planet,” he added.
While Tsarukyan is undoubtedly sure of victory and is going into the bout the betting favorite, Charles Oliveira has a knack of prevailing despite the odds being against him. Having lost his title to Makhachev two years ago at UFC 280 meekly, the Brazilian is on a revenge tour. And while he may not be as vocal as Tsarukyan, he is no less determined to win the bout. What are your predictions for UFC 300?