Arman Tsarukyan (left)(image via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Arman Tsarukyan has been campaigning for a rematch with Islam Makhachev. But, the surging lightweight contender is more than excited to be facing Charles Oliveira at UFC 300.

Tsarukyan has been booked to battle the former lightweight champ this coming Saturday, following his first-round, knockout of Beneil Dariush in December. That victory was Tsarukyan’s third straight, and moved his UFC record to 8-2.

On account of Tsarukyan’s (21-3) UFC run, and because he was narrowly defeated by Makhachev in 2019, talk about a rematch has been widespread. But, while appearing on “The MMA Hour” this week, the Armenian-Georgian fighter reported he was extremely happy to learn he’ll fight Oliveira next (quotes via MMA Fighting.com).

“It’s like a dream fight,” Tsarukyan said. “[Oliveira] was the champion. For me, it’s like a fight for the belt because he was the champion, he defended his belt, and he’s No. 1, especially this fight, it’s [for] contender No. 1. I was super excited, super happy, and I couldn’t sleep a couple of days after that news.”

Oliveira (34-9), meanwhile, is also coming off a stoppage win over Dariush. That fight took place in June, and returned the Brazilian to the win column, following his submission loss to Makhachev in 2022.

“It’s going to be a crazy fight because [Oliveira] knows wrestling, he knows jiu-jitsu, he knows how to strike,” Tsarukyan said, while discussing Saturday’s match-up. “I don’t even know what he wants to do during the fight; same as him, he doesn’t know what I’m going to do, wrestle him or strike him. If he’s going to miss punches, he’s going to wrestle. Me too, if I miss punches, I’m going to wrestle, so it’s going to be like a scramble fight.

“…We are both complete MMA fighters. But my prediction is a finish in the first round, TKO.”

Currently, Tsarukyan is ranked #4 in the UFC’s lightweight division and Oliveira is #1. Justin Gaethe is #2 and Dustin Poirier is ranked #3.

UFC 300 will be hosted by the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.