Arman Tsarukyan says Colby Covington is locked in as his next major RAF assignment, while Charles Oliveira remains only a possible UFC opponent and not an official booking.
Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Tsarukyan clarified three separate situations around his schedule. His RAF 11 match with Covington is set, the Oliveira rematch talk has been overstated, and his UFC Freedom 250 backup role only matters if Ilia Topuria or Justin Gaethje falls out of the June 14 White House title fight.
On Covington, Tsarukyan said the wrestling match is the biggest RAF booking he has so far, but he is still asking for an extra bonus tied to the event.
“Colby is gonna be biggest one so far,” Tsarukyan said. “No, no, no, we announced, yeah, we’re wrestling. We got that, but I want an extra bonus.
“For a little bit, a bonus that I can fly a private jet after the Colby to Europe.”
The lightweight contender said he wants to go home briefly after Covington, then return for another RAF match in the United States.
“Yeah, I wanna go home for one, two weeks and then come back because I wanna whoop some asses here, American wrestler,” Tsarukyan said. “No, after Colby, I got one more name.
“It’s a secret.”
Watch the full interview below:
Tsarukyan Says Charles Oliveira Is Only A Possible Opponent
The Oliveira talk moved faster than the facts. Tsarukyan said a possible September fight got turned into an official booking, even though he never said the rematch was finalized.
“Today on my YouTube, I say I might fight in September and everybody post Arman is officially fighting with, and I said I might fight this guy, it was Oliveira, because you never know,” Tsarukyan said. “And I said, I might fight him too. And people just started posting that I’m fighting with him.
“No, nothing official. I didn’t say 100% I’m gonna fight him. I said, I might fight him as well.”
Tsarukyan is 23-3 and sits near the top of the UFC lightweight division. Oliveira is 37-11 with one no contest, a former UFC lightweight champion, and the UFC’s all-time leader in submissions and finishes. Their first fight came at UFC 300, where Tsarukyan beat Oliveira by split decision in a lightweight title eliminator.
A rematch is easy to understand from a matchmaking angle, but Tsarukyan said the UFC has not given him a locked-in opponent or date. His next UFC move may depend on the UFC Freedom 250 lightweight title fight between Topuria and Gaethje.
“My fight can be in September, October, December,” Tsarukyan said. “You know, maybe next year. Who knows what UFC wants to do and who I’m fighting next.
“It’s a winner of Topuria and Gaethje. And if it’s Topuria, probably end of this year. If it’s Gaethje, it’s September, maybe October.”
Tsarukyan still sees Gaethje as dangerous, even if Topuria is the fight he wants more.
“Oh, yeah, of course. You never know,” Tsarukyan said of Gaethje’s upset chances.
“Yeah, I want Ilia, because it’s a bigger fight. He’s talking too much, and it’s good when two young fighters fight with each other.
“Yeah, right now, yes. Because we have a beef between us.”
Tsarukyan Explains UFC White House Backup Role
Tsarukyan said he has not been formally invited to the White House event, but he still described himself as the backup for Topuria vs. Gaethje. He also made clear that he does not expect to weigh in unless the fight actually becomes available.
“If they let me in, so I’ll go there,” Tsarukyan said. “The situation is I’m a backup for this fight. If something happened, I’m going to fly there and make the weight and weigh in and fight.”
If the UFC call comes, Tsarukyan said RAF would understand a title opportunity taking priority over his wrestling schedule.
“Yeah, they’re going to understand this is title fight,” Tsarukyan said. “You know, it’s big for him too. If I become a UFC champion, my name is going to be bigger and we’re just going to do like other event.”
Tsarukyan is staying ready, but he admitted the preparation is different without a confirmed opponent.
“Yes, but you know, when you don’t have a fight, you don’t know who is your opponent,” Tsarukyan said. “You cannot train the same.
“Especially when I compete in RAF, I focus on my wrestling, but still I do sparring, wrestling, just in case, you know, to be ready.”
A last-minute call would have limits. Tsarukyan said one or two days would be too tight for the weight cut, while a week could work.
“Yeah, but it’s impossible how I’m going to make weight for two days or one day,” Tsarukyan said.
“Maybe like one week before. Yeah, it’s possible.”
Covington, a former interim UFC welterweight champion with a 17-5 MMA record, brings a legitimate wrestling background into the RAF match. Tsarukyan has Covington on the RAF side, Oliveira as a possible UFC option, and a White House backup spot that depends on whether the UFC needs a replacement for the June 14 title fight.
