The lightweight division is the most stacked division in the entire UFC.  This is why its championship belt is perhaps the toughest prize in the entire sport. And reigning champ Islam Makhachev, with his record of three title defenses and status as dominant champ, is fast approaching all-time great, perhaps even GOAT contender status.

Standing in front of him at the moment is the official #1 title contender, Arman Tsarukyan. The duo were originally slated to fight in Abu Dhabi this October. But a Makhachev hand injury delayed the clash. To when exactly? Well, earlier reports suggested the clash is set for UFC 311 on January 18 and it seems the rumors were true. At least that is what Tsarukyan’s manager, Sayat Abdrakhmanov suggested in a recent interview.

“We are waiting for an announcement from the UFC, we are waiting for official announcement. I think it is already clear to everyone that Arman and Islam will be [fighting soon]. I don’t know why they haven’t announced it yet. Maybe there are some agreements with the arena, maybe they haven’t approved the main fight and so on. But I think in the next few days I’ll find out everything soon,” Abdrakhmanov told the YouTube channel Ushaytaka in a recent interview.

Abdrakhmanov raises a valid point. Why hasn’t the promotion announced the fight yet? Is Makhachev not healed from his injury yet? The champion’s camp was targeting a January or December 2024 return, and it seems January was all but confirmed. The event is set to go down in California and will be the first PPV of 2025. It could even be that the UFC is working on finalizing the card before any major announcements.

Of course, this will be Tsarukyan and Makhachev’s second UFC fight. The duo had first fought back in 2019 in what was the Armenian’s UFC debut at a time when the Dagestani was making his way up the division. While Tsarukyan lost a unanimous decision at their first clash, ‘Ahalkalakets’ has improved significantly and really come into his own as a fighter since then.

But since their matchup is an intriguing one, with both men being primarily wrestlers, it is incredibly hard to predict. But one man perhaps is in a better position to do so than anyone else in the world.

Oliveira gives Islam Makhachev slight edge over Tsarukyan

Charles Oliveira has fought both Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan, unfortunately losing to both. While his UFC 280 title clash against Makhachev ended disastrously, with an underwhelming second-round submission, he lost a razor-thin decision to Tsarukyan at UFC 300 earlier this year. This is why no one is more qualified to predict the result of Makhachev-Tsarukyan than ‘Do Bronx’.

“They have very similar games, and I think each has to come and look out for the same things. You have to watch out for the striking because they do offer some striking… It’s very, very similar styles… I think Islam is a little step ahead of Arman. I think he’s just stronger by a little bit, but when push comes to shove, any of them could win,” Oliveira said.

Of course, while both men excel at grappling, they have developed sharp striking over the years. One does not become a UFC champion or the #1 contender in the modern age without it. Tsarukyan has shown that he has one-punch knockout power in his hands, having flattened Beneil Dariush in their late 2023 clash within the first round.

On the other hand, Makhachev’s famous head-kick knockout of Alexander Volkanovski last year showed just how far his own striking has progressed. This is why some suspect the difference in their clash may be made by whoever is a better striker. What do you think about Arman Tsarukyan’s manager’s revelations about his Islam Makhachev title clash?