For most people, Islam Makhachev is known as the reigning UFC lightweight world champion. Some may even know him as the best P4P fighter on the planet. For Arman Tsarukyan, he was just the cousin of Octagon icon Khabib Nurmagomedov.
On Saturday, January 18, Tsarukyan will attempt to become just the second man to defeat Khabib’s cuz when the two headline UFC 311 inside the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. On that night, ‘Akhalkalakets’ challenges Makhachev for the 155-pound crown in a rematch five years in the making.
It will be the pair’s second-ever meeting — their first coming at UFC on ESPN+ 7 in April 2019.