This is the story of a lightweight who was born in Georgia and could have become a hockey player.
Childhood and Youth of Arman Tsarukyan
Arman Tsarukyan was born in the small Georgian town of Akhalkalaki, where mostly Armenians live. His father Nairi Tsarukyan is engaged in the construction business. Mom’s name is Anahit Hakobyan. Armand also has a brother, Arthur, and a sister, Isabella. When the future UFC star was two years old, his father went to work in Khabarovsk and moved his family to this city.
From the age of 8, Tsarukyan played on a hockey rink, and at the age of 12 he joined the “Amur” section. Arman combined hockey training with freestyle wrestling. From three to five o’clock in the afternoon Tsarukyan was wrestling, and then from six to eight o’clock in the evening he left for hockey.
Tsarukyan left hockey at the age of 17 because he was unable to break into the Amur main team. Arman did not try himself in other teams, as he did not rate his level of play highly, and decided to concentrate on wrestling. The athlete began to practice pankration and grappling.
Sports Career
MFP
Tsarukyan made his professional MMA debut in September 2015. Then Arman won by technical knockout over compatriot Shamil Olokhanov at the MFP Assault Nights of Spassk 2015 tournament.
In the next fight, Tsarukyan suffered his first defeat at the professional level in mixed martial arts. In December 2015, the fighter lost by knockout to Russian Alexander Belykh at the MFP – Eastern Rubicon tournament in Khabarovsk. After that, Tsarukyan won eight victories in a row, including a rematch with Belykh and success in a confrontation with Russian champion Alexander Merezhko.
At the MFP 214 – Governor’s Cup tournament in December 2017, Tsarukyan defeated Japanese Takenori Sato by unanimous decision and won the MFP lightweight title.
In May 2018, Tsarukyan defeated Brazilian Junior Assuncao by unanimous decision. Thanks to this, Armand defended the MFP champion title and took the Kunlun Fight Asian champion belt.
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UFC and Fight With Makhachev
In April 2019, in St. Petersburg, Tsarukyan fought his debut fight in the UFC in the co-main event of the UFC Fight Night 149 tournament. Arman’s opponent was his compatriot Islam Makhachev. Tsarukyan lost to the future lightweight champion by unanimous decision. The main part of the fight was a bitter struggle. The confrontation was recognized as the best fight of the evening.
In the next five fights in the UFC, Tsarukyan scored five victories in a row over Canadian Olivier Aubin-Mercier, Brazilian Davi Ramos, Americans Matt Frevola and Christos Giagos, and Spaniard Yoel Alvarez.
In June 2022, at the UFC on ESPN 38 tournament in New York, Tsarukyan lost by unanimous decision to Pole Mateusz Gamrot. After this defeat, Arman defeated the representative of Kazakhstan Damir Ismagulov and the Brazilian Joaquin Silva.
In December 2023, Tsarukyan knocked out Iranian-American fighter Beneil Dariush at UFC Fight Night 233 in Las Vegas.
Tsarukyan – Oliveira
On April 13, 2024, the UFC 300 tournament will take place in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena. Arman Tsarukyan and Brazilian Charles Oliveira will fight on the main card of the mixed martial arts evening. The fight will take place in three rounds. The winner will receive the right to fight lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. This confrontation is scheduled for the end of 2024, but could take place in the summer if Makhachev’s fight with American Justin Gaethje fails.
Personal Life
Tsarukyan said that he plans to buy a house in the USA. At the same time, Arman considers Russia his home.
“The plan is to at least buy a house or apartment in the USA,” Tsarukyan said in an interview with Sports. — In Los Angeles you need to pay about 2 million dollars. I haven’t put it off yet. For now I’m investing in myself. Russia is home. I grew up there. Secondly, I prefer Russian people and everyone who lives in Russia. Third is the nature that Russia has: forests, mountains.”
Why Tsarukyan Performs Under the Armenian Flag
The UFC fighter considers himself a Russian athlete, but represents Armenia, since he is Armenian by nationality. The lightweight fighter enters UFC fights under the Armenian flag.
“I love Russia,” Tsarukyan said on the MMAFightingonSBN YouTube channel. — I like living there, I’ve lived there all my life. As for the flag, I think the Armenian flag represents me best because I am one hundred percent Armenian. I tell everyone: I am a Russian fighter, but I represent Armenia. I am motivated when I see Armenians in the stands, the flags of Armenia and Russia. At moments like these, I know that no one can defeat me this evening. I will win or die.”