![Arman Tsarukyan opens up about plans for Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira and timetable for potential octagon return [Image courtesy: Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/06/da810-17488762727614-1920.jpg)
![Arman Tsarukyan opens up about plans for Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira and timetable for potential octagon return [Image courtesy: Getty Images]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Arman Tsarukyan recently expressed interest in being involved with the upcoming Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira fight and revealed potential plans for his UFC return. Tsarukyan has been eager to return to the octagon under the right circumstances and provided a timeline for what he hopes to accomplish this year.
Tsarukyan is currently the No.1-ranked UFC lightweight, however, he was not granted an opportunity to fight for the vacant lightweight championship at UFC 316. The belief is that he wasn't fighting Topuria as a potential punishment for his unfortunate withdrawal from his title shot against Islam Makhachev the day before their UFC 311 clash.
Championship Rounds posted a clip of Tsarukyan's latest conversation with Kamil Gadzhiev, where he revealed his plans to hopefully serve as the backup for Topuria vs. Oliveira. 'Ahalkalakets' mentioned he is keeping himself prepared in case he's called upon and named Dan Hooker and Justin Gaethje as potential opponents when he returns. He said:
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"I'm waiting for [Topuria vs. Oliveira]. I fly to America, start preparing, keep myself in shape, on a diet and if someone gets injured, I'll step in right away. But after that, if they give me [Dan] Hooker or [Justin] Gaethje, I'll fight in August, early September. And by the end of the year, I'll fight for the title." [Translated]
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Check out Arman Tsarukyan's comments below:
Arman Tsarukyan discloses who he believes he will fight next
Arman Tsarukyan also shared his thoughts on who will likely be his next opponent in the octagon.
In the aforementioned clip, Tsarukyan mentioned that Dan Hooker will likely be the one who stands across him because he believes the UFC have other plans for Justin Gaethje:
"I think I will have a fight [before a title shot]. [Dan] Hooker or [Justin] Gaethje. Most likely, as I understand it, it will be Hooker. I think [UFC] will book [Paddy] Pimblett vs. Gaethje." [Translated]
Check out Arman Tsarukyan's post-fight interview following his latest win over Charles Oliveira below:
