Arman Tsarukyan: I Can Beat Islam Makhachev in Wrestling
Key Takeaways
- •Arman Tsarukyan has made a bold claim: he believes he can beat Islam Makhachev in a straight wrestling match.
- •MMA World covered the lightweight contender's comments alongside reactions from Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier, who weighed in on Tsarukyan's confidence and what it means for the division.
- •Tsarukyan's assertion isn't just trash talk — it reflects a specific belief in his wrestling pedigree and where he thinks Makhachev is actually beatable.
Tsarukyan's Wrestling Claim Isn't a Throwaway Line
Arman Tsarukyan didn't hedge. In the MMA World video Jon Jones & DC react to the CRAZY BRAWL breaking out in Russian TUF Show, Arman- I Can beat Islam, he stated plainly that he could beat Islam Makhachev in a wrestling match — not an MMA fight with all the variables that come with it, but a straight grappling contest. That's a specific, measurable claim, and it's a deliberate one. Tsarukyan's wrestling background isn't just a footnote in his record. He has leaned on it consistently throughout his UFC career, and he clearly believes it's the one area where Makhachev — widely considered the division's most complete grappler — can actually be challenged. You don't make that claim unless you've thought about it in detail, or unless you've been in the room with people who've trained with both fighters.
The Grappling Résumé Behind the Confidence
Makhachev's wrestling credentials come with the full weight of the Khabib Nurmagomedov lineage behind them. The Dagestan system is not casual — it's a production line for elite grapplers, and Makhachev is one of its best outputs. Tsarukyan, meanwhile, comes from an Armenian wrestling background and has shown the kind of explosive, reactive takedown defense that doesn't get nearly enough credit in highlight packages. He isn't just a striker who can survive on the ground. His grappling transitions and scramble ability are genuinely high-level, which is part of why his earlier loss to Makhachev carries so much weight in any conversation about a rematch.
Our Analysis: What makes Tsarukyan's claim interesting isn't the bravado — trash talk is table stakes in combat sports. What's interesting is the precision of it. He didn't say he could outstrike Makhachev, or outlast him, or catch him with something lucky. He went straight to wrestling, which is supposed to be Makhachev's house. That level of specificity either signals genuine self-belief rooted in technical knowledge, or it's a calculated psychological move designed to plant doubt in Makhachev's camp before a rematch materializes. Either way, it's not nothing.
Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier reacting to this claim adds a layer of credibility to the conversation that a standard media cycle wouldn't provide. These are two fighters who have lived at the top of the grappling food chain in the UFC. When Jones or DC pushes back on — or validates — a wrestling claim, it carries actual weight. Their read on Tsarukyan's assertion is worth paying attention to, because they understand the mechanics of elite-level wrestling in MMA better than almost anyone outside of active competition.
The broader implication here is about what a Tsarukyan-Makhachev rematch would actually look like stylistically. The conventional wisdom is that Makhachev controls the pace and the position, and that anyone trying to wrestle him is fighting his fight. Tsarukyan is essentially arguing that conventional wisdom is wrong — or at least incomplete. That's a harder argument to dismiss than it might appear on the surface. His scramble game is legitimately elite, and the margin in their first fight was not as wide as championship results sometimes suggest.
There's also something worth noting about where the lightweight division is right now. Makhachev has looked nearly untouchable since reclaiming his form, and the contender pool has been cycling through challengers without finding a genuine answer. Tsarukyan is arguably the most credible rematch option available — not just because of their history, but because of how he matches up stylistically. If he genuinely believes he can take Makhachev into a grappling battle and win, the UFC would be foolish not to let him prove it. The division needs that kind of direct challenge, and Tsarukyan has clearly decided that confidence — stated loudly and specifically — is his best path to getting that shot.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Source: Based on a video by MMA World — Watch original video
This article was created by NoTime2Watch's editorial team using AI-assisted research. All content includes substantial original analysis and is reviewed for accuracy before publication.
