Forgotten by the championship belt, Tsarukyan returns to action and faces the 'UFC Pirate' in December; find out why.

Arman Tsarukyan is a highlight of the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

Forgotten by the UFC in the race for the lightweight belt (up to 70,3kg), Arman Tsarukyan He will face a new challenge in his career. The Armenian will face another Ultimate fighter, Shara Magomedov, in a grappling match at the Hype FC event, scheduled for December 30th.

Arman Tsarukyan vs Shara 'Bullet' Magomedov in a grappling bout! We didn't see this one coming for sure!

December 30, Yerevan, Armenia. At Hype FC. pic.twitter.com/0OERa3CMgK

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) December 10, 2025

The match takes place in Yerevan, Armenia, and will be Tsarukyan's fourth grappling match of the year. In 2025, the fighter has already shared the mat with... Makkasharip Zaynukov in Karate Kombat 54, being declared the winner by unanimous decision, in addition to submitting Patrick Pitbull and Benson Henderson in ADXC 10 and ACBJJ 18, respectively.

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Shara Magomedov, in turn, will make his grappling debut. Before transitioning to MMA and signing with the UFC, "Pirata" built his career in kickboxing and Muay Thai events.

Arman Tsarukyan almost faced Carlos Prates.

Prates celebrates victory in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

Before closing Shara Magomedov As a rival to Tsarukyan, Hype FC tried to put Carlos Prates Face to face with the Armenian. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Prates stated that he had agreed to fight on December 30th. Despite the interest from both sides, the UFC chose not to release either athlete, ending the negotiations.

“I almost fought on December 30th, a grappling event invited me to face Tsarukyan in a ground fight, but the UFC didn't allow it,” he said. Carlos Prates.

Arman Tsarukyan is dropped by the UFC.

Arman Tsarukyan He is ranked first in the lightweight rankings. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

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After Islam makhachev After relinquishing his lightweight title and confirming his move up to welterweight (up to 77kg), Tsarukyan, then ranked number one, ended up being forgotten by the organization. The situation worsened when Ilia Topuria He was chosen to compete for the vacant title against Charles of the Bronx No. UFC 317, in June 2025. On that occasion, the Armenian acted as a reserve and watched from the front row as the Spaniard knocked out the Brazilian.

Months after winning the belt, Topuria announced a break from his career, and once again, Tsarukyan was left out of the plans. With the champion sidelined, the UFC decided to create an interim title and scheduled... Justin gaethje e Paddy Pimblett to lead the UFC 324The winner will face the undisputed champion for a unification bout, while Tsarukyan awaits a decision regarding his future in the division.