UFC 311 star credits Team Khabib for igniting fire to take up MMA despite ongoing rivalry
Just like Islam Makhachev, UFC 311's Arman Tsarukyan looked to Team Khabib namesake fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov for MMA run.
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Arman Tsarukyan took cues from Team Khabib's namesake fighter - Khabib Nurmagomedov (Source: IMAGO)
Arman Tsarukyan is gearing up all week to make a stellar title win statement at UFC 311. He challenges Team Kahbib’s top UFC 155-pound star and current best pound-for-pound fighter Islam Makhachev in exactly a week. Conversely, it’s also the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov that Tsarukyan took his cue from to join MMA/UFC.
Khabib Nurmagomedov hung up his gloves at an all-time high, winning HOF and Best Submission ESPY trophies. None have yet surpassed those stats or legacy. Islam Makhachev strung up a 14-fight win streak with triple defenses and is edging closer. But ‘Ahalkalakets’ has always veered towards the legendary lightweight as the best in Team Khabib.
I was about 17 years old, …and I understood like I don’t wanna be like worker – I wanna be in a sport. So I went to, eh, …a grappling school…In six months I won already in Russian competition. Then, one of my friends told me like, ‘You gotta watch how Khabib fight!’ I watched his fights, and I liked so much, and so started following his all blogs and YouTube – how he trains…
Arman Tsarukyan on UFC 311 Countdown – Makhachev vs Tsarukyan 2; 🎥: @ufc on YouTube
Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) challenges Islam Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) for the 155-pound title in what happens to be a rematch. The duo already has a history where the Dagestani swiped him out in a short-notice debut. Arman Tsarukyan was only 22 back then and has made leaps and bounds of improvement en route to the No. 1 seed for lightweight gold.
👀 Arman Tsarukyan took inspiration for his early career from Khabib Nurmagomedov:
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) January 11, 2025
“One of my friends told me, 'You gotta watch Khabib fight!' I watched his fights, and I liked them so much, and so started following all his blogs.”
🎥 @ufc ▫️ pic.twitter.com/XzKX8jFSaN
Since losing to Makhachev, Tsarukyan has won nine of 10 bouts. It includes a current four-fight streak against Damir Ismagulov, Joaquim Silva, Beneil Dariush, and even Charles Oliveira. The Team ATT fighter is in tip-top shape and ready to snag gold, taking his cue from Khabib Nurmagomedov. Consequently, one particular unhinged anti ‘Team Khabib’ fighter thinks he has what it takes.
The ‘Chaotic’ take: Arman Tsarukyan can knock out champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 311
Arman Tsarukyan’s chances of taking out Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 aren’t out of the question for Colby Covington. Tsarukyan trains at his former gym ATT (American Top Team), which is prepping for its second 155-pound title affair. Dustin Poirier recently went for a failed bid against Makhachev at the UFC 302 PPV main card headliner in June.
Makhachev defeated Poirier with a fifth-round submission in UFC 302. Surprisingly, Tsarukyan was critical of his performance. and accused him of quitting. Old enemy “Chaos” took up that opportunity to diss Poirier and say “Ahalkalakets” could be better.
I do think he can get it done, …I think he’s an athlete. Look how flexible he is. Look how he got out of that choke with Charles…That was impressive. He’s an athlete. He’s got big power in his hands. If he believes in his hands, I think he can knock out Makhachev.
Colby Covington to Denis Shkuratov for the ‘Submission Radio’ Show for SBNation Network (?: @SubmissionRadio on YT)
If Tsarukyan can keep the fight on the feet, Covington believes he has the power to finish Makhachev at UFC 311. The Dagestani has superior clinch and outboxing tendencies. But the Armenian star himself is explosively good inside the clinch and can mix it up with pockets of striking.
His prowess and ending up for a title rematch is something even Javier Mendez, head coach at American Kickboxing Academy and Eagles MMA, thought would happen. Now it’s a matter of time to see who comes out on top.
Related: Arman Tsarukyan hilariously joined UFC only for ‘verified tick’ on Instagram
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