Arman Tsarukyan once viewed fighting in the UFC as an unattainable dream.
Fast forward to the present day, and he’s less than a month away from challenging for championship gold in the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion, when he locks horns with Islam Makhachev in the UFC 311 main event on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
Competing in the Octagon became a reality shortly after Tsarukyan’s last fight on the regional circuit in Russia in August 2018. Sharing a card with the likes of 2024 PFL heavyweight champ Denis Goltsov, UFC veteran Alexander Romanov and ex-Bellator MMA light heavyweight title holder Christian M'Pumbu, Tsarukyan won his 11th straight bout that night — defeating one-time UFC competitor Felipe Olivieiri via third-round knockout.