Video
Original Description
UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan joins Brett Okamoto from Thailand to open up about the disappointment of pulling out of his scheduled title fight just a day before January’s PPV and discusses his road back to the championship picture; especially in light of Ilia Topuria’s big win on Saturday.
0:00 Welcome Arman Tsarukyan!
1:15 Khamzat Chimaev camp
2:50 UFC 317 Takeaways
5:30 Back issue setback
7:43 Ilia Topuria’s confidence
10:09 Observations from Topuria vs. Oliveira
11:53 More exciting: Ilia Topuria or Islam Makhachev?
13:11 Paddy Pimblett called out at UFC 317
14:45 How will future fights shake out?
15:29 Will Islam Makhachev win welterweight?
16:42 Difference between Topuria & Islam?
17:50 Likelihood of fighting Dan Hooker?
18:54 Hooker fight is "a waste of time and free money"
19:23 Ilia Topuria contract call out
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Video Transcript
What's up guys? Brett Okamoto from ESPN
joined by Arman Zerukian who joins us.
It's hard to tell but from his car. It's
nighttime over there in Thailand where
he is doing a little bit bit of
vacation, a little bit of uh appearance
work for a Russian promotion over there
in Thailand. Arman,
yes, thank you for inviting. Yes, I I
supposed to be at home already, but the
press conference was so long and uh the
the fighters starting to fight each
other. That's why um uh it's like it
took so long and uh so I couldn't get
home and uh that's why I'm I'm giving
interview from my car. Sorry for that.
No man, no we appreciate you joining us
uh uh over there in Thailand. And then
when you say you should be home by now,
where is home for you now? I mean no
home like in hotel. So like to give
interview from
Yeah. But my home in Russia in
Krashnadar so my family live there but
uh I spend mostly time in US because of
training camps fights you know and uh uh
it's it's better to be there just in
case you can get the fight earlier you
know. Yeah. And I obviously we're going
to get to a whole lot of of things that
happened last weekend, but we might as
well. You and I were just talking off
camerara about you're going to Newport
to help uh Hamzat Shamay finish up his
camp. It's about 6 weeks away I suppose.
So actually not finish up like you guys
are having camp for Hamzat over there in
California leading up to Chicago, huh?
Yeah, it's like I think seven weeks.
He's supposed to he's supposed to come
July 15, but uh he called me one week
ago, bro. I'm coming uh June 30. I said,
bro, I'm like I'll be out in uh I'll be
in Thailand. He said, okay, I'll do uh
I'm going to rest a couple days. When
you come back, we will start. But I saw
like a picture he already start to
train. He doesn't want to rest even.
Uh last question on that and then we'll
get to last week. How how is it training
with uh with Hamzad? I mean, obviously,
there's so many stories about what that
guy's capable of in the gym going back
for about 10 years. What is it like for
you to to get in there and roll with
him? I mean, Hamzad, he's a tough guy
and uh he doesn't care if you're lighter
lighter than him, more than 25 pounds.
He just uh he just go hard with
everybody. And uh it's good. It's good
for me, you I get I get a lot of like
experience and uh and I feel like if I
can wrestle with him, I can wrestle with
anybody, you know? I would think so,
man. And he's probably weighing what uh
when he comes in? You said 25 lbs. Is
that about how much he weighs more than
you when you guys go? Like he's like
205, something like that. Yeah. No.
Well, hopefully I'll be able to get out
to California and see you guys. In the
meantime, let's talk about what happened
last weekend. Um, you've had a little
bit of time for the dust to settle
around UFC 317. There's obviously a ton
of different things I can ask you. I
think where I'll start is just how do
you feel? How do you feel about how the
week went? What are what are some of
your just general thoughts coming off?
Like what have you found yourself
thinking about since uh everything that
happened last weekend? You know, I was a
backup. I met my weight and uh I was I
was waiting for for the if something
happened, just jump in in the fight. I
was ready. I had a good training camp
and I I had a good wake up. So I was
ready for that day and uh you know and
uh you always have a chance uh like you
know people can get hurt or like they
can get sick or something and that's why
uh I said okay I I got to I got to be
there I got to be ready and I got to
make weight and um not just for money
just for the opportunity you know and to
show you see that uh I'm a I'm a guy who
is going to fight even like if you're
going to tell a couple hours before.
Yeah. Did you did you feel like um your
relationship with UFC is any different
um after last weekend than it was going
into the weekend? You know, obviously
with the situation that happened in
January, you having to pull out of a
fight the the day before, but then going
in there and and and doing this as a
backup fighter, do you feel like you
guys are in a better place because of of
what you did or is there any kind of
difference?
I mean, uh, no, I'm in same situation. I
have never issue with the UFC. uh I have
always a good relationship but just one
uh that thing that always done say that
I I had a weight issue you know and the
worst that's the worst thing because I
have never uh uh had a a weight issue
you know because I I hurt my back and uh
that's that's the thing like uh the the
doctors the doctors didn't tell him like
the right decision you know that uh I
hurt my back not not like I had a weight
cut issue and like how you can be you
can have weight cut issue if you know
about your fight before 6 7 months and
uh you got to be unprofessional and like
these guys never be on the top five even
contenders you know you've been waiting
all your life for that fight and you're
not going to make the weight I mean even
from the pictures you can tell I was so
lean and uh never was lean like that as
well has this been like a a hard part
for you in your career where like you
worked all the way up. You were 24 hours
away from a championship fight which is
what you've been working towards and now
it's like you had the back issue but I
think people forget. I mean as you've
seen like Dana forgot like Dana
announced it in January as you had
injured your back but now in June he's
saying you missed weight. Like I just
think people almost kind of assume it
was a weight issue and you just haven't
been able to get back in and compete.
Like has it that been difficult on you?
like are you are you just like really
like can't wait to get a fight booked?
Has this been a tough year for you
because of that? Yeah, of course it's a
tough year, you know, and uh like people
think like because it I had a way cut
issue. That's why I said, "Okay, I have
a back problem, you know. It was like a
uh
uh I mean that I I I
have a MRI and uh it's like a what
happened with my scing sciatic nerf, you
know, and like but I didn't show any
every anybody because uh I know on my
own be like I'm the real guy and I don't
want to like u uh to show everybody. Oh,
you see you're wrong. like I get the um
back issue. I mean I understand Donna he
has like a thousand fighters how he's
going to remember everything you know
and uh that's why maybe he forgot and
said again about my weight issue. So and
uh even you see the
you see uh nutritionist they they work
with me they used to work with me and
they always uh ask about my weight and
uh uh on the fight week I was already
170 lbs on Monday you know it's like 15
lbs uh and uh I usually cut like 12 lbs
last day you know but before 5 days I
was 15 was over. Yeah. Well, uh I mean
this you're going to get a chance
obviously all of this will be I think
forgotten once you get back in there. Um
now of course the question is who you're
going to get back in there against. Elia
had a pretty special week of course and
I want to ask you your take on his
confidence because it seems to be
getting a lot of attention. Like I will
even say me personally like him posting
a video of him celebrating the win the
day before he fights Charles and then
when he walked out um I'm not the only
one that commented on this that it just
like that was a special level of
confidence. Is that something that like
you agree with as well or you being like
in the game yourself? Do you think that
we're kind of making something out of
nothing or is is the the belief and the
confidence of Elia worth talking about
right now? Is it something special or is
it something that you've seen before?
I mean, he trains hard, he hits hard,
you know, and uh he believed himself and
uh that's why he goes so happy, so
confident and uh celebrate one day
before because he he knew already he's
not he's he's going to knock him out.
uh because
there is uh there is no there is like a
little bit chance to for Alivera you
know because he not going to take him
down he's not going to overstrike him he
has good grappling and that's all so how
he's going to be that's why he knew
already like this is the best matchup
for me and uh 99.9 I'll I'll be I'll uh
I will win that fight that's why he was
super confident But with me, he's not
going to be super confident. I don't
think you don't think so. You don't
think he'll walk out to the cage
looking? I mean, he he can't be
confident. He can celebrate the winning,
but like just after the fight, he's
going to cry.
Did Did you lose?
Did do you feel like you learned
anything about his power? Obviously,
when some guy moves up a weight class,
we're all like, "Oh, will his power
translate? Will his power translate to
knockout in the first round?" Did you
feel like you learned anything about his
power or is that still kind of still to
to we still got to find out? He's got to
do that a few more times for us to
really say that he's he's one of the
harder hitters at lightweight. No, no.
He he for sure he he is one of the the
stronger guy the who he he he hit so
hard for sure especially like in the
first rounds and um that's why he needs
someone like me who is going to over
wrestle him and like make him tired.
There was one there was basically one
grappling exchange in the fight. I mean
the fight only lasted for half a round,
right? But Charles was able to clinch up
to him, kind of drag him down, but then
Neilia was able to sort of reverse the
position and end up on top. Obviously, I
feel like you are going to be looking to
grapple him if that fight happens. Did
you learn anything like what were your
observations about the way that they
tied up and and then how it hit the
floor?
I mean before the fight I I was I was
preparing for Ilia for my
I thought Ilia is not going to pull out
and uh there is a chance that Alivera
not going to make weight or something
happen because he already pulled out and
he's all you know always can happen
something that's why we we decided with
my coach like uh train more specific for
Tapura because
uh because he's younger and he's moving
up so he's not going to have weight
issue and that's why I already know like
what I should do and I already have had
that train training cap for him so and
that's why that fight didn't show
anything for me what do you think he
would have done if
if Charles missed weight do you think
Elia would have been like yep let's go
Arman I I want it do you think he would
have what do you think would have
happened if Charles would have had
issues yeah for sure he's going going to
fire me because you already there. You
already made the weight and uh
uh so and uh I mean he knows that I'm
next. He just want to call out any
different names for the easy money, but
like you see and everybody knows that I
got to fight him.
What's what's more exciting for you? the
the idea of what you had in January
taking on Islam in a rematch and the
Khabib camp and everything that Islam
represents or now taking on Elia, this
guy who has a lot of now attention and
he's coming off of these three knockout
wins. Which one is more exciting for
you?
For me, more exciting Islam because we
had that history. Uh it was my first
fight in UFC and uh Islam uh when you
beat Islam it's a little bit it's a
different level fighter. He's a complete
fighter. He's not just deal who can just
box and uh defend the wrestling a little
bit. But Islam uh he's a complete
fighter and different level fighter. Are
you pretty disappointed to see him move
to welterweight then? No, I wasn't
because uh
he deserve it to be a two two two times
world champion, you know, two times UFC
two two way class champion. So, I'm just
happy for him and uh I hope he's going
to be two times champ and I'll become a
U 155 champ and we will fight. Y that's
the the best the best case for me.
So, you're standing there at UFC 317 and
Elia wins and then he gets on the mic
and he's he does mention you um and you
are shown on camera, but then all the
attention quickly moves to Patty and
then Patty actually goes into the
octagon. I know you said afterwards I
think you told DC that it felt a little
WWE in that moment like were you feeling
angry? Were you feeling like what what
kind of emotion what were your thoughts
going through when you're like man
they're really going to bring Patty into
the cage and they're going to shove each
other? like how are you handling that in
real time?
You know, it it's it's hard because uh I
was a backup made the weight and uh uh
I'm number one contender and this guy
number eight or number nine and like
they trying to push him because he has a
hype and uh followers on Instagram but
uh
uh I was disappointed but when I heard
what Donna said I understood they're not
going to give him chance. Uh, and then I
said, "Okay, that's good." So, do you
think Patty's good, or do you think he's
just hype that's going to fizzle out at
some point, or do you think he's legit?
Uh, he's legit. He's legit, but not like
a top fighter, top five fighter level.
He's uh he can beat like a Charles
maybe.
uh now because nowadays he can beat
Charles, he can beat maybe Gi, but he
never going to beat Tapura, me, Islam,
you know, who is on the prime right now.
He can beat the people who is uh almost
retired or lost fights, you know. So,
what do you think is going to happen
here? How is this going to shake out?
So, I'm going to fight for the title
with Tapora. Uh Patt is going to fight
with Giji
and then I'll get the fight. I'll get
the title and then uh if Patty wins,
I'll beat Patty and then Islam.
Do you think Sorry, go ahead. If if UFC
wants if they not going to give me the
title fight,
so let's see what options they going to
give give it to me. And um but uh
anyway, I'll be champ and I know it's my
belt. Just takes time to get it. Do you
think Islam is going to win uh when he
moves up to welterweight?
I hope so. I hope so. It's going to be
hard. That guy is uh he's so good. He
looks so good on his last fight. Jack,
Jack, he's so good. Good boxing, good
movement. Uh
good good defense from the fan uh from
the cage from the wall. He he defend
very well on the middle. In the middle I
didn't see because the
uh Bilal didn't try to wrestle him in
the middle. He I don't know. He tried
wrestle against the fans and he couldn't
take him down. He he was trying the same
thing but he did mistake. he she should
try to wrestle on the middle, you know,
because some people defend very well on
against the cage, but uh but in the
middle it's a different game. So
uh and uh I know Islam, he can change
his game plan every round. So that's why
I believe he's going to take him down
and just uh just hold him or choke him.
What do you think stops you from putting
Eliah on the same level of Islam? Like I
I really like it actually that you said
that Islam still means more to you, that
that win would mean more to you, but um
what would Elia have to show? Cuz you
know, you said Islam is a complete
fighter and Elia is a dangerous boxer.
He's his ground game has looked pretty
good to me. What have you seen in him
that stops you from putting him on the
same level of Islam? If he beat me, he's
going to be on the same level as Islam.
He got to beat like like someone like
me, you know, who can wrestles.
He just had the easy fights on his
career, you know. He beat he beat legit
fighters but not the on their prime. If
he met Walcanowski five years ago, four
years ago, Walcanoski just eat him.
But now Walcanowski, he he drops uh he
he's he's old, you know. He's not there
anymore. He he competes. Yes. But like
like his chin not there anymore.
[Music]
If you don't get the title fight, it
seems like there's some some heat and
some uh momentum to you fighting Dan
Hooker and and Hooker has said uh he'd
be ready for October, November. What is
the likelihood, do you think, of of that
fight? Is how how likely could that be
your next fight? It's too long. I don't
want to wait. If uh if I if they going
to say hooker, I don't want to wait
October, November for the hooker. I want
to fight as soon as possible and fight
for the title and the end of this year.
So I want to fight in August and then
fight for the title because Ilie is
coming back probably in the end of
November or October and end of this
year. So and if I'm going to fight in o
August and then in the end of this year
would be great. Then Hooker he supposed
he he wanted to fight me international
fight week and then he he shut up and
didn't say anything.
I mean that fight never happened. He
just uh he just talks. Uh I mean if it
that happen it's just a waste of time.
Uh UFC gonna waste their time. Me I'm
going to waste my time and then hooker
going to waste their time. I'm just
going there just uh take him down and
just uh choke him out in the first round
and just UFC just going to send uh send
just uh free money, you know, for me.
They don't need I hope they figure it
out soon. They should they should just
send me send me a contract with Alia and
that's all. Yeah. I mean, whatever
contract they send you, I hope they send
it soon because I want to know what's
gonna happen with this 155 pound
division. In the meantime, um yeah,
we'll see uh we'll see if I can get get
it out to California, see you in Hamzat.
Are you actually going to corner him or
you just you're just kind of a part of
the team like to have him in? No, no,
just just a part of the team. Yeah.
Yeah. Cool. Well, I hope we get some
news on you. Let me know. Let me know.
Thank you. Thank you so much. I'll see
you in California, man. You too, bro.
Byebye.
[Applause]
[Music]