Outside Source
Tsarukyan (23-3) was recently seen training with Olympic gold medalist Greco-Roman wrestler Artur Aleksanyan. Tsarukyan did some light drills with the 96 kilogram Armenian champ, who appeared to get the better of the UFC lightweight for the most part.
Advertisement
A Decorated Training Partner
Aleksanyan won gold at the Rio Games in 2016, silver in Tokyo and Paris in 2021 and 2024, and bronze in London in 2012. Aleksanyan is also a four-time world champion.
Meanwhile, Tsarukyan defeated Dan Hooker via submission at UFC Qatar last weekend. While Tsarukyan has long been the clear top contender at lightweight, he was sidelined following his withdrawal from a title shot against Islam Makhachev earlier this year. Former featherweight champ Ilia Topuria won the vacant title against Charles Oliveira after Makhachev moved up to welterweight.
Tsarukyan has since been calling out Topuria, who even threatened retirement if immediately forced to fight “Ahalkalakets.” Tsarukyan believes there is no denying him a title shot after his latest win over Hooker. Tsarukyan even had a brief interaction with Topuria at UFC Qatar, which led to heated online exchanges between the two.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
Help support MMACrazies.com when you shop Amazon by starting your online Amazon shopping at MMACrazies.com/recommends/amazon. You are not charged extra, but we receive a small and very helpful commission on everything you purchase. Thanks for thinking of us every time you shop at Amazon.
