Dana White’s comments about Arman Tsarukyan sparks INS*NE conspiracy theory from UFC legends: “Injury wasn’t that bad…”
Some notable UFC alumni discuss CEO Dana White's recent statement about Arman Tsarukyan's last-minute jitters at UFC 311.
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Dana White's comments on Arman Tsarukyan's pullout sparks discussions in the UFC community (Image via Imago)
The first UFC pay-per-view event of 2025 (UFC 311) underwent a significant last-minute change in its fight card. Initially, UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev was set to defend his title against Arman Tsarukyan. However, that matchup did not take place at the UFC 311 event. Additionally, comments made by UFC CEO Dana White regarding this situation have sparked various reactions.
Arman Tsarukyan withdrew from his scheduled fight against Islam Makhachev during the official weigh-in show. The withdrawal was due to a back injury he sustained during training, which worsened during the weight-cutting process. In response, Dana White stated that Tsarukyan would not be given an immediate title fight. UFC legends Michael Bisping and Paul Felder provided an interesting analysis of the revelation.
Given Dana’s kind of short response at the post fight presser, I’m not trying to put words in his mouth or anything, I would have thought Arman would be up next, injuries happen, but the fact that he said, ‘No, he’s gonna have to build himself back up and he was kind of short and he spoke about Heather. And again, I’m, you know reading between the lines here and I could be wrong but it seems like maybe the injury wasn’t that bad is that fair to say?
Michael Bisping via BELIEVE YOU ME Podcast 619
Michael Bisping was particularly shocked by Tsarukyan’s last-minute pullout and raised questions about the situation. As a former UFC fighter, Bisping understands the nature and severity of injuries in the sport of MMA. Consequently, after White expressed his frustration at the press conference, Bisping suggested that Tsarukyan’s injury might not have been as serious as it was portrayed.
🚨 Dana White says Arman Tsarukyan will NOT be getting the next title shot, and has to work his way back up to a title fight 😬😬#UFC311 #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/QuUCrYYIdL
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 19, 2025
Interestingly, several other fighters appeared to compete on the UFC 311 fight card despite coming in with injuries. Notably, the reigning UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili successfully made weight and defended his title while dealing with existing shin and back injuries. Tsarukyan’s withdrawal from an important match may have prompted White to release a strong statement against him.
Paul Felder expresses disappointment with Arman Tsarukyan for missing out on a title opportunity
Paul Felder, much like Michael Bisping, offered an intriguing perspective regarding Arman Tsarukyan’s last-minute withdrawal. Over the years, the UFC community has seen several rising stars seize their first opportunities to win the UFC gold. However, when Tsarukyan pulled out from his first chance at the UFC lightweight championship, it led to significant backlash.
Interestingly, among the various criticisms, Felder referenced the UFC’s elite physical therapy team led by Heather Linden. According to the former UFC fighter, over the years, Linden and her team have prepared multiple fighters to be fight-ready. In the case of Tsarukyan, Felder believes that even the Armenian fighter could have achieved the same level of readiness at UFC 311.
I gathered the same thing that maybe he though he was, he could have sucked it up a little bit and went out there for such an opportunity and then, he’s gone on social media and even agreed with Dana… I’m sure that something was even told to him like, ‘Look man, if you don’t get in there this weekend that’s fine, we’re not here to put an injured fighter in there, we don’t want to do that.’
Paul Felder via BELIEVE YOU ME Podcast 619
Despite the criticisms surrounding him, Tsarukyan’s opposition camp had a different perspective. Notably, Khabib Nurmagomedov, the mentor of Islam Makhachev, was not particularly critical of the Armenian fighter’s last-minute setback. However, UFC CEO Dana White has made it clear how Tsarukyan’s future steps within the promotion will unfold. Now, it remains to be seen who his next opponent will be.
Related: Arman Tsarukyan Net Worth, UFC contract, Endorsements and House
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Nilaav Gogoi
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