Arman Tsarukyan is ready to break into the elite of the UFC lightweight division.

It’s no secret that the 155-pound weight class is as talent-rich as it gets across the global MMA landscape. Fighters like the 26-year-old Tsarukyan have proven to be the next wave of mainstays, awaiting their opportunity to fully tap into their potential.

Tsarukyan’s last fight was a surprising matchup, to say the least, when facing unranked Brazilian hopeful Joaquim Silva. Outside of a brief scare, the fight was firmly in favor of Tsarukyan, who ultimately finished his opponent with ground-and-pound strikes in round three. Already calling for a big-name fight before beating Silva, Tsarukyan is hoping to extend his winning streak to three against a perennial 155-pound elite in Beneil Dariush.

“I think they’re working on it,” Tsarukyan told Submission Radio. “I don’t have exact information but he wants to fight at the end of this year and I want to fight and I just see me and Dariush can fight. I think that fight [is] gonna happen.

“Dariush in the top 15 is the nicest guy, he’s the humble guy. I know him personally and we trained once together. I know him. He’s [such a] good guy but this is sport and he wants to fight with everybody [like] me. I know he’ll take that fight with me because for him it makes sense because he lost his last fight.”

Dariush will look to rebound and get back in the win column upon his eventual return. UFC 289 this past month saw the streaking contender suffer a tough first-round TKO loss to the former champion Charles Oliveira, postponing his title shot hopes.

Tsarukyan’s primary dream fight for the past so many months has been Michael Chandler. Unfortunately for the rising contender, Chandler is tied up with his potential Conor McGregor clash and never had an interest in Tsarukyan before landing his opportunity on The Ultimate Fighter 31 (TUF). At this point, Tsarukyan is jumping on board with the spreading sentiment that the Chandler vs. McGregor fight simply won’t happen.

“Chandler has a big name, if I beat him, definitely I’ll be contender No. 1,” Tsarukyan said. “A lot of people gonna watch this fight. But our fight, a lot of guys who know UFC, know MMA, are gonna watch this fight [with Dariush]. With Chandler, it’s a different level. In social media, he talks a lot. Dariush, he doesn’t talk. He just wants to fight and he’s just a fighter. He doesn’t do anything different things for media.

“I think no [the McGregor fight doesn’t happen]. Maybe next year. I saw the tweet Chandler called out Islam Makhachev. So he wants to fight for the title but it’s so easy money for Islam and I don’t want to see that fight. That fight’s gonna piss me off.”

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VIDEO STEW

Between the Links.

UFC 290 Slow motion.

JDM’s greatest hits.

PFL Specialist: Marthin Hamlet.

Good night for Bo.

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MORNING MUSIC

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SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

That’s a lot of Khamzat.

Damn.

Juan.

Watch your step.

Throwback.

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FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Priscila Cachoeira (12-4) vs. Miranda Maverick (13-5); UFC 291, July 29

Junior Tafa (4-1) vs. Parker Porter (14-8); UFC Singapore, Aug. 26

Song Kenan (19-7) vs. Rolando Bedoya (14-2); UFC Singapore, Aug. 26

Jack Jenkins (12-2) vs. Chepe Mariscal (14-6-1); UFC 293, Sept. 9

Ricardo Ramos (16-4) vs Charles Jourdain (13-5); UFC Vegas 79, Sept. 23

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FINAL THOUGHTS

I love it. Just give me any Tsarukyan vs. a top 5 guy and I’m good.

Happy Friday, everybody. Super ready for the weekend. Hope you all have a great one and we’ll see you Monday. Thanks for reading!

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EXIT POLL

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