Arman Tsarukyan has faced significant criticism from the MMA community after withdrawing from his highly anticipated title fight against the 155lbs god-king Islam Makhachev. Renowned for his superhero-like physique and exceptional flexibility, the Armenian fighter was set to make his return to the Octagon at UFC 311 this week, following a lengthy hiatus, to challenge the Dagestani in his fourth title defense.

However, a back injury forced him to pull out of the bout, derailing those plans. Now, the #10 ranked Renato Moicano has stepped in to face Islam Makhachev on just 24 hours’ notice. Despite this last-minute replacement, fans remain critical of Tsarukyan, who appeared to be in stellar shape earlier this week. He even participated in media obligation events and even appeared on Nina Marie Daniele’s show, where he showcased his flexibility. This led to speculation that ‘Ahalkalakets’s’ attempts to impress the UFC media personnel might have contributed to his back injury.

Amid the swirling rumors, Tsarukyan’s striking coach, Artem Levin, has stepped forward to clarify the situation. Speaking to ‘Ushatayka,’ Levin attributed the injury to weight cutting and pre-existing issues. He explained, “Sometimes weight cutting exposes old problems that you may not even notice. During the final stages of the process, you might pull or strain something. It’s not entirely clear what happened. I think it’s a combination of factors. Weight loss is the main issue, and something was likely pulled or strained.”

Currently, Tsarukyan’s path to a lightweight title shot remains uncertain. Even if he returns later this month, much depends on the outcome of the upcoming fight. If Moicano dethrones Makhachev, a rematch between the two could be on the horizon. Renowned journalist Ariel Helwani further clarified the situation yesterday, stating,

Arman Tsarukyan’s coach reveals his injury timeline

“No one should be cutting weight, kids. What the commission should really do is find out what they actually weigh and stop this nonsense,” Joe Rogan once said, voicing his strong stance on weight cutting. Rogan believes that weight cutting is essentially sanctioned cheating by the commission and should be addressed in the same way ster–ds are, as it remains a dangerous practice in MMA.

The latest fighter to fall victim to this issue is Arman Tsarukyan. His coach, Marcos DaMatta, who has been by his side through the ordeal, recently shared details with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn. DaMatta explained that the Armenian’s back pain initially started as manageable but worsened over time.

Within a week, it became unbearable, largely due to the strain of weight-cutting. “Thursday, we went to the press conference, and afterward, he had to see a doctor….We began the weight cut, but after a few sessions, he couldn’t continue. That’s when Hunter [Campbell] and Dr. [Derek T.] Dee had to come in and speak with him. Ultimately, he [Arman] made the decision to pull out because he couldn’t even stand anymore.”

What are your thoughts on the Arman Tsarukyan situation? Do you believe his sudden back pain, which emerged just a week before the fight, was truly caused by weight cutting? There are also rumors circulating in the MMA community suggesting that ‘Ahalkalakets’ might have backed out of the fight due to being unable to make championship weight. What’s your opinion on all of this? Share your thoughts below.