"He's got to make weight" - Dana White confirms Arman Tsarukyan as backup for Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira clash at UFC 317

Arman Tsarukyan has earned another opportunity to potentially fight for the lightweight title, as he will serve as the backup fighter for the championship match between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira at UFC 317.

Tsarukyan is currently ranked No. 1 in the lightweight division and is on a four-fight winning streak, having defeated Oliveira in his last outing at UFC 300 in April 2024.

During the post-fight press conference for UFC Baku, Dana White confirmed Tsarukyan's role as the backup fighter for UFC 317, saying:

"Arman is the backup. He's the backup for [ the Topuria vs. Oliveira] fight. So, he will come to Las Vegas, and he's got to make weight. And then we see how that fight plays out, and then we go from there."

Check out Dana White's comments below (via @ChampRDS on X):

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Ilia Topuria gets honest about Arman Tsarukyan's title hopes

A few months ago, Arman Tsarukyan had a chance to claim the lightweight title at UFC 311. Unfortunately, he had to withdraw from his match against Islam Makhachev due to a back injury that made it difficult for him to cut weight.

According to Ilia Topuria, Tsarukyan should work his way back up and win another fight to earn a shot at the UFC lightweight title. While speaking at a recent media scrum, Topuria said:

"Arman? He also needs to win a fight. He had his opportunity to fight for the title. He pulled out, I don't know, for what reasons. So he needs to put his name again in the conversation."

Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below (7:05):

Currently, 'El Matador' and Charles Oliveira are competing for the UFC lightweight title, as Makhachev has transitioned to the welterweight division. To complete his move, the Dagestani fighter had to vacate the 155-pound championship.