With Islam Makhachev claiming welterweight gold and Ilia Topuria holding the belt at 155 lbs, Arman Tsarukyan is reading the room and seeing a lane that suddenly looks wide open. It’s not just confidence talking; it’s timing, matchups, and the quiet reshaping of a division that used to revolve around one man’s wrestling.

There’s also a bit of history baked into that confidence. Tsarukyan has already shared the cage with Makhachev, lost a decision, then watched a title shot disappear when he withdrew from UFC 311 due to a back injury. Since then, he’s been stuck in the waiting room while the UFC booked interim belts and fresh title fights around him. That kind of detour either humbles you or hardens your edge, and Tsarukyan sounds like he belongs to the second type.

During a recent video with UFC flyweight legend Demetrious Johnson, the question cut straight to the skill that has defined his rise. Johnson asked, “Who can outwrestle you in the UFC?” Tsarukyan didn’t blink: “Right now at 155? Nobody.”

Johnson agreed. Then Tsarukyan added the name that used to be the exception: “I shouldn’t worry. It was Islam, but he went up.” The tone wasn’t dismissive. It was matter-of-fact. He even credited the Dagestani fighter’s efficiency, saying the former lightweight king “doesn’t waste energy… he’s so calm too.” Johnson fired back with a nod to Tsarukyan’s own composure: “You’re calm, you’re not a spaz.”

Is that bravado, or is it backed by experience? Makhachev left the division with a résumé that included a 14-fight lightweight win streak, five title-fight wins, four defenses (another record), and a staggering 59.5% significant-strike accuracy. He also tied Anderson Silva’s UFC win streak record at 16 and now sits as the welterweight champion. When that kind of gravitational pull leaves a division, the fighters who are orbiting it feel the shift first.

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Meanwhile, Arman Tsarukyan has been building quietly in that space. After pulling out of UFC 311, he still made weight as the official backup for Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. Then he showed his level by dominating Dan Hooker in round 2 of their Fight Night main event in Qatar. When you stack that with his 10–2 UFC record, the claim that “nobody” outwrestles him at 155 doesn’t sound wild. It sounds like a fighter who has done the homework.

In late 2025, Tsarukyan even said he wished Makhachev was still the lightweight champion because “he takes fights with contenders and fight with everybody,” while he felt ‘El Matador’ is looking for easier matchups. This is where his bold claim lands. He’s not saying the division is easy. He’s saying the hardest matchup for his best skill set has already left the room. But what about a name outside the UFC?

Usman Nurmagomedov takes aim at Arman Tsarukyan after victory at PFL Dubai

At PFL Dubai, Usman Nurmagomedov ran through Alfie Davis with the kind of control that makes matchmakers nervous. The third-round arm triangle into a rear-naked choke ended it, and the pattern was familiar: promises about stopping the grappling, followed by long minutes stuck underneath it. And after the win, the PFL star didn’t duck the UFC names.

Talking about the UFC champion Ilia Topuria and the no. 1 ranked Arman Tsarukyan, he confessed, “Firstly, the preparation for them would be completely different. They’re fighters of a different level in terms of skill. For example, Arman both wrestles and strikes.”

But he didn’t budge on the outcome. In his words, “the result would have been the same.” That’s confidence backed by a 21–0 record (with one no contest) across Bellator and PFL. He even took a playful jab at Tsarukyan when the matchup came up: “Well, unlike Arman, I don’t have a loss,” he said with a smile.

It’s cheeky, sure, but it points to a real debate. Tsarukyan’s claim that nobody outwrestles him at 155 inside the UFC might hold water right now. Outside the UFC? Usman Nurmagomedov’s résumé and pedigree complicate that picture. The Dagestani fighter has one fight left on his PFL deal and has already hinted at fighting again later this year. With Makhachev no longer at lightweight, the UFC wouldn’t have the old conflict in the room if he tested free agency.

So, the question becomes, will it take Usman Nurmagomedov moving to the UFC to test Arman Tsarukyan’s wrestling claims, or is there someone else who can step up in the lightweight division? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!