UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan recently stepped outside the octagon to compete in a grappling match at Karate Combat 54 in Dubai. He faced off against Makkasharip Zaynukov of Dagestan.
The fight saw Tsarukyan initiate attacks early, attempting single-leg takedowns, but Zaynukov defended successfully. Throughout the first two rounds, neither fighter was able to secure significant takedowns, leading to limited ground exchanges.
With Tsarukyan winning both rounds on the judges` scorecards, the bout concluded after the second round via unanimous decision. Following his victory, Tsarukyan expressed apologies for the match being “boring.”
Explaining his perspective, Tsarukyan stated, “I knew this fight was gonna be like this, boring.” He attributed the difficulty in securing takedowns to both competitors having strong freestyle wrestling backgrounds. While apologizing to fans for the uneventful nature of the fight, he mentioned he needed to compete to stay active after a year away. He also praised Zaynukov as a tough opponent from a strong team in Russia.
Having defeated a fighter associated with Islam Makhachev’s team, Tsarukyan didn`t shy away from issuing a challenge. He stated his eagerness for future grappling bouts, specifically requesting “one more guy from Khabib’s team.”
Tsarukyan`s next appearance in the UFC is yet to be announced. He was previously slated for a rematch against Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title in January but withdrew shortly before the weigh-ins due to illness. Tsarukyan holds an impressive UFC record of 9 wins in 11 fights and is currently riding a four-fight winning streak, including victories over Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush, Joaquim Silva, and Damir Ismagulov.
Makkasharip Zaynukov also boasts a strong MMA record of 16-4, having won 11 of his last 12 fights. His recent wins include a decision victory over Dedrek Sanders in his PFL debut last October.
