According to the head of the organization, he likes the idea, however, he is not ready to call the Russian the number one contender yet.
“It would be great to have a fight between Makhachev and Tsarukyan in Abu Dhabi,” White said at a press conference following the UFC on ESPN 52 event. “Stylistically, it’s a great matchup. Arman looked great tonight, but we’ll see what happens next.”
After knocking out Benil Dariush as early as 64 seconds into the match, Arman Tsarukyan announced that he wants to challenge the division’s reigning champion, Islam Makhachev, next, promising to knock out the organization’s best fighter regardless of weight.
Recall that in April 2019, Arman Tsarukyan made an unsuccessful debut in the UFC, losing to Islam Makhachev by unanimous decision after three competitive rounds, taking the fight with his compatriot on short notice.
According to the UFC’s plan, the champion’s next opponent should be top-ranked Brazilian Charles Oliveira.