Arman Tsarukyan says he would have beaten prime Khabib Nurmagomedov by decision, while speaking to Hassan Yosufi. The UFC lightweight contender said he believes his overall game gives him the edge over Khabib at his best.
Tsarukyan gave the answer directly when asked how a fight with prime Nurmagomedov would play out.
“It’s probably a decision.”
He then explained what he sees as the difference between them.
“My skills [are my biggest advantage]. I’m more well-rounded than him.”
Tsarukyan points to his all-around game against Khabib’s strongest years
Tsarukyan’s argument is not that he would catch Khabib with one big shot or pull off some surprise finish. He is saying he would beat him over the course of a full fight because his game is more complete. That is a big claim against a former champion who retired at 29-0 and closed his UFC run with wins over Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje.
There is real history around Tsarukyan at lightweight too. He lost a decision to Islam Makhachev in his UFC debut in 2019, then kept climbing until he worked his way back into the top of the division. His recent run includes a split-decision win over Charles Oliveira, and he has also stayed active outside the usual UFC title traffic, including his upcoming RAF 8 match with Urijah Faber.
Tsarukyan’s strongest argument is his all-around game. He has shown he can wrestle, scramble, and strike against top lightweights, which is the basis of his claim against Nurmagomedov.
Tsarukyan is not talking about surviving the matchup. He is saying his striking, wrestling, and overall balance would have been enough to win rounds against one of the most dominant lightweights the sport has seen. That is the standard he is putting on himself while the division keeps moving around names like Islam Makhachev and the current title picture.
