UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan competed on Friday in Dubai, but it wasn’t in the octagon. Instead, the Armenian fighter entered the Karate Combat pit to grapple and ultimately defeat Makkasharip Zaynukov from Dagestan.
Tsarukyan was the aggressor early, attempting a single-leg takedown near the pit`s edge, but Zaynukov successfully defended it. Both competitors struggled to secure takedowns throughout the first round, and the second round unfolded similarly. Tsarukyan initiated another single-leg attempt late in the second, which Zaynukov countered, but the UFC fighter quickly regained his standing position.
The judges unanimously scored the first two rounds in favor of Tsarukyan, making a third round unnecessary. Tsarukyan was declared the winner via unanimous decision and later apologized for the uneventful nature of the bout.
“I knew this fight was going to be like this – boring,” Tsarukyan commented after his victory. “When two guys know freestyle wrestling, it`s difficult to get takedowns. If you pair an MMA fighter against a jiu-jitsu guy, you`ll see more ground game, you know? Sorry it wasn`t great for the fans, but I hope you enjoyed it.”
“I haven`t fought in a year, which is why I came here to wrestle today,” he explained. “My opponent was a very tough guy. Not many know him because he fights in Russia, but he`s from a strong team and was difficult.”
Following his win against a fighter associated with Islam Makhachev’s team, Tsarukyan issued a further challenge.
“I can`t wait for the next one,” Tsarukyan stated. “I need another guy from Khabib`s team. Let`s do this again.”
The UFC has not yet announced Tsarukyan’s next fight within the promotion. He was previously scheduled for a rematch against Makhachev for the 155-pound championship in January but withdrew just hours before the weigh-ins due to illness.
With nine wins in 11 appearances inside the UFC cage, Tsarukyan is currently on a four-fight winning streak in the promotion, having defeated notable opponents including Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush, Joaquim Silva, and Damir Ismagulov.
Zaynukov had won 11 of his last 12 MMA bouts, capped by a decision victory over Dedrek Sanders in his PFL debut last October, which improved his professional MMA record to 16-4.
