While nothing is official at this time, the general consensus is that Arman Tsarukyan will get the next 155-pound title shot against newly-crowned lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
That’s bad news for “The Highlight,” according to BetOnline.ag.
Tsarukyan (24-3) is currently the -450 betting favorite against +350 for Gaethje (28-5), a surprising moneyline in the wake of Gaethje’s destruction of Ilia Topuria at UFC White House back in June. Perhaps bookies were enamored with Tsarukyan’s UFC 331 knockout
win over Mauricio Ruffy last weekend in Los Angeles.
That said, not everyone was impressed by the performance.
“Stylistically, I see technical chaos from Justin,” former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya told Demetrious Johnson. “But Arman is just going to have to grapple. He’s going to have to do what he did [at UFC 331], but even better. Because I think after that last win, Justin overcoming even the third round when he got dropped to the body and then cracking the guy, making him quit on the stool; his confidence is all the way up. Justin’s been knocked down, out, come back, been on top multiple times. So, he’s not fussed about the wins and losses. He just wants to go in there and f—k you up.”
Despite Tsarukyan’s ranking, “internal conversations” may suggest a different title fight.
“I think total chaos is going to be the thing,” Adesanya continued. “It’s what he does; the guy’s f—king crazy. So, Arman to get the job done and be the champ, he’ll have to just heavily wrestle, and do what pretty much Khabib [Nurmagomedov] did. Just heavily wrestle. And I think Arman’s big enough, also good enough on the stand-up, that he’ll be able to compete with Justin standing up.”
We may find out before the end of the year.
