Arman Tsarukyan is done waiting around for gold, and he is now teasing looking at other championships in the UFC if the path is closed to the lightweight title.
Tsarukyan was scheduled to challenge for that particular title, originally booked for the UFC 311 main event against then-champion Islam Makhachev. But on the day of weigh-ins, Tsarukyan pulled out of the title fight due to a back injury, and he appears to have had heat on him ever since.
Tsarukyan finally returned to the Octagon this past November, submitting Dan Hooker in the main event of UFC Qatar.
That fight was billed as a No. 1 contender's matchup. Days later, however, the UFC announced that due to Ilia Topuria unable to defend the lightweight title currently, Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for an interim lightweight title was named the UFC 324 main event.
When pressed by Ariel Helwani on a recent edition of The Ariel Helwani Show about why he isn't in the interim title, Tsarukyan has a couple of ideas.
"Because it's a [sic] first Paramount fight. And second one, I'm too dangerous," Tsarukyan said. "My opinion is that they want Paddy Pimblett to be a champion."
Arman Tsarukyan Addresses Lack Of Lightweight Title Shot; What Could Be Next?
Tsarukyan acknowledged controversies he's been involved in over the past couple of years, which he says the UFC has used as claims for why he shouldn't get the next title shot.
"They [are] saying the headbutt [on Hooker], [the UFC 311] pull out, that I punch [a] fan but I didn't punch him," Tsarukyan said.
"I can just say yes and wait my chance."
Tsarukyan and a UFC fan appeared to get into it during his entrance at UFC 300, an event that saw him defeat Charles Oliveira. Tsarukyan was suspended for the incident, delaying his title shot that would get scrapped by his UFC 311 pull out.
Tsarukyan also came under fire for a headbutt that landed during the face-off with Hooker at the UFC Qatar ceremonial weigh-ins.
Not helping matters at claiming the undisputed lightweight title is Topuria, who won the lightweight title by defeating Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, currently tied up in a messy divorce and custody battle.
This has forced him to consider other avenues to become an undisputed champion. Tsarukyan told Helwani that there is a chance he could look to move down to featherweight for a title shot -- or look to challenge for the BMF belt if Oliveira defeats Max Holloway at UFC 326.
"I want the real title, but I don't want to wait until then," Tsarukyan said. "Ilia, he fights once a year. Maybe he defends his title in June and says, 'Okay, I'll fight next year, in June.' Then what can I do?
"I’m not that young to wait a lot, too. So, if they give me the BMF title, that would be great, too. If Charles Oliveira wins, it’s going to be good. We’ve got a story. [I’ll] just get that belt, and then the real belt.”