Arman Tsarukyan is set to face Islam Makhachev at UFC 311, and while he has significantly improved since their last encounter, he hints at employing a new, secret technique to challenge the reigning lightweight champion.
Arman Tsarukyan faces off against Islam Makhachev again this Saturday at UFC 311. He knows he might need some never-before-seen moves to dethrone MMA’s pound-for-pound king.
In a chat on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, hosts Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman quizzed Tsarukyan about a rumored secret technique for fight night. Tsarukyan played it cool but hinted it would surprise the lightweight champ.
“Ah, my new technique,” Tsarukyan teased. “How can I share with you? But it’s a good move. Good things, and he’s gonna be surprised. I’ve never done it before.”
He added, “I train every day. I wanna find something new, do something I’ve never done before.”
Tsarukyan might not need drastic changes given his impressive run since losing to Makhachev in April 2019. He’s been on fire, winning nine of his last ten fights and defeating Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush, Damir Ismagulov, and Joel Alvarez.
Incremental improvements are what Tsarukyan credits for his evolution as a fighter.
“Of course, I’ve changed so much,” Tsarukyan said. “I’ve improved all my skills, but the best thing is the experience from fights. You make mistakes, then hit the gym to work on them. After each fight, I feel like I’m getting better and better. The best thing I got from fighting? Experience.”
“Especially UFC experience,” he continued. “First time fighting—super excited, nervous—but now I’m used to it: the crowd, the people, the media. Now it’s just a job. Go there, have fun, fight.”
Makhachev has been unstoppable since his only loss in 2016. With a 26-1 record, he recently defended his title against fan-favorite Dustin Poirier. On Saturday, Makhachev aims for his fourth consecutive defense of the lightweight title.
Asked about Makhachev’s strengths and weaknesses, Tsarukyan shared why he believes skill-for-skill he’ll win the rematch.
“Islam is so smart,” Tsarukyan noted. “Well-rounded: strike, clinch, wrestle—but he has weaknesses too. His conditioning isn’t the best. Against a wrestling guy, when takedowns are tough, he’ll waste energy. His boxing is better than his kicks; my kicks are way better. He’s smart too—knows how to move and relax, drop gloves—lots of tricky stuff.”
“In the clinch? Great movement,” Tsarukyan added. “He’s ready when you move—takes you down or flips you when you knee him. A smart fighter all around; I’ll do my best there. I know how I can beat him and can’t wait to show everyone the new Arman Tsarukyan.”