Arman Tsarukyan could soon find himself fighting for the UFC lightweight title.
Tsarukyan produced a stunning performance against top contender Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 on Saturday night.
After a competitive opening round that saw the Brazilian manage to defend multiple takedown attempts, Tsarukyan landed a devastating elbow that forced the referee to stop the fight.
The victory earned the 29-year-old a $100,000 Performance of the Night award and has seemingly put him on a collision course with current lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
While Gaethje has been linked with a number of fights since producing one of the most historic upsets in UFC history to dethrone Ilia Topuria at the White House in June, it appears Tsarukyan's win has moved him to the front of the line.
Speaking following this weekend's event Gaethje admitted that he is still unsure whether he will fight again, but added that if he does Tsarukyan will be his opponent.
"[Arman] is the next in line. If and when I defend this championship, that will be who I fight. I just don't know right now," Gaethje said on the Flagrant podcast.
"I'm just going to enjoy being the champion for the rest of the year. I'm going to make a business decision and a life decision whenever the time comes.”
Gaethje has previously shown an interest in squaring off against former two-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor.
However, any potential showdown with the Irishman would only be able to take place in mid-2027 after McGregor suffered a serious injury on his return to the Octagon in July.
