Summary
Arman Tsarukyan has been in the UFC since 2019. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Ranked first in the lightweight division (up to 70,3 kg) and with more than 20 wins on his record, the journey of Arman Tsarukyan MMA has already brought setbacks even before it became a persona non grata for Dana White. During a conversation with Demetrious Johnson on Espaitec's 'Mightycast', published on YouTube this Tuesday (20), he revealed that he interrupted his professional career after not coping well with the pressure of his first fight.
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During the chat, Tsarukyan said that his expectations for his first professional fight were lower than the reality of the situation. Despite his nervousness, he was able to win the fight and have the patience to restart his career as an amateur.
“I was very scared when I had my first professional fight. I thought it would be easy, like a street fight, but when I got there and saw the octagon, I got scared and thought: 'What if I lose? What if someone knocks me out?' I was lucky to take him down, land strikes on the ground and win in the first round. That's when I understood that I needed to do amateur fights. I did professional fights and then went back to amateur,” confessed Tsarukyan.
Arman Tsarukyan went back to the amateurs after his first pro MMA fight 😳😅
"I was so scared when I did my first pro. I thought it was easy, like a street fight, but when I went there and saw the cage, I was scared and said, 'What if I lose? What if someone knocks me out?' I… pic.twitter.com/rVGIKFC4m5
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) January 20, 2026
Arman Tsarukyan experienced moments of great pressure in the UFC.
Tsarukyan celebrates his UFC victory. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/armantsarukyan
The early experiences were very important for the Armenian's growth as a fighter and prepared him for the circumstances surrounding his debut in the world's largest MMA organization. He had his first UFC fight at the age of 22 with only a few days' notice, having Islam makhachev like his opponent. Despite the unanimous decision loss, the performance impressed fans, media and matchmakers.
The former rivals were matched to face each other again in the main event of UFC 311, with the lightweight title (up to 70,3 kg) at stake. However, Tsarukyan ended up feeling the effects of a back injury sustained during the weight cut and was therefore forced to withdraw from the fight just over 24 hours before the bout.
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