"I don't give a s*** what the number says" - Dana White says Arman Tsarukyan has to work his way back to get another title shot

UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan v Hooker - Source: Getty
Arman Tsarukyan after defeating Dan Hooker (Source: Getty)

Arman Tsarukyan still can’t get a lightweight title shot, and it seems he won’t be getting one soon, according to Dana White.

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The Armenian was to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 but pulled out due to an injury just a day before the PPV. That seems to have rankled the UFC president, and he doesn’t want Tsarukyan back in title contention.

The Armenian defeated Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar, in what many believed was a fight for a No.1 contender’s spot. However, the UFC announced an interim lightweight bout between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett.

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This headlines UFC 324 with Ilia Topuria, the current undisputed champion, taking a break due to personal reasons.

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White was asked about Tsarukyan not being in the title picture during the UFC 323 post-fight press conference. While Tsarukyan is the No.1-ranked lightweight, just behind the champion Topuria, White doesn’t care about this.

“I wouldn’t say he is the odd man out. He had an opportunity, and you guys know how that played out. He's gonna have to work his way back. I don't give a s*** what the number says."
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The UFC president again brought up the earlier Makhachev fight that fell through, and reiterated that Tsarukyan has to work more to get another title shot.

“Too much goes into this for those type of things to happen…you can’t do that. You can’t get the opportunity and then…you can’t end that way, so he has got to work his way back.”
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Check out Dana White’s comments below:

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Paddy Pimblett trolls Arman Tsarukyan after getting interim title shot

While Arman Tsarukyan chases another shot at gold, Paddy Pimblett decided to take a bit of a shot at the Armenian.

The British star responded to getting a UFC title shot on social media with the following caption:

"You like apples? @ArmanUfc."

Tsarukyan also wasn’t pleased when this fight was announced, and posted this on his X account:

"Make it make sense."

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Edited by Saiyed Adeem Karim
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