Sean Shelby's Shoes: What's next for Arman Tsarukyan after UFC 331 win? - MMA Junkie
Arman Tsarukyan did everything he needed to do and more at UFC 331 to position himself for the next title shot.
There's no need to beat around the bush: There was immense pressure on Tsarukyan (24-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) going into Saturday's co-main event with Mauricio Ruffy (14-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
We all know the story of what he's endured β self-inflicted or not β since pulling out of his scheduled UFC 311 title fight vs. Islam Makhachev on weigh-in day back in January 2025. He's been trying to make up for that failure ever since, and his highlight-reel first-round knockout of Ruffy may have finally done the job.
UFC CEO Dana White stated post-fight that Tsarukyan has turned his entire image around within the company. There appears to be a stronger working relationship than ever before, and White said the 29-year-old "could not be in a better position" going forward.
What does that mean coming from the mouth of White, though? That remains to be seen. He wouldn't fully commit to giving Tsarukyan the next title shot when asked, but indicated the future of champion Justin Gaethje will obviously have a massive role in the trajectory of the entire weight class.
With plans to take the rest of 2026 off after his title upset of Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 in June, we will have to wait a few more months before Gaethje (28-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) gives a definitive answer about his retirement plans. He's flip-flopped on the topic a few times, but eventually the UFC will come calling with a fight date and offer, and then Gaethje will be pressed to make a firm decision.
No matter how it unfolds, though, Tsarukyan has earned his shot at gold. Be it challenging Gaethje, or a vacant title fight against someone like Ilia Topuria, the waiting game for "The Batman" should be over.
