Inside The UFC Lightweight Division: The Drama Between Arman Tsarukyan, Islam Makhachev, And Dustin Poirier

Just as the UFC’s lightweight division is full of surprises because every second plays a role and every defeat can lead to the collapse of a career, drama is easily knocking on the door. This particular scenario has been put in the spotlight as a newcomer, Arman Tsarukyan, has taken shots at the current champ, Islam Makhachev, saying that he refuses to fight just to make some easy money and instead wants to face Dustin Poirier in the main event.

Following the retirement of a former legend, Nurmagomedov, only Makhachev remained on top, as he defeated each opponent that was brought up to fight him. Well, his Dagestani legacy has indeed become pretty firmly established in the division, and due to Tsarukyan’s statement, one can suggest that it also made him very weary of tackling some of those contenders.

Before his highly anticipated wrestling bout, the crown jewel of fighting at UFC 300, Tsarukyan got straight to the point when he made an allegation that Makhachev is purportedly avoiding fighting. He, however, emphasised that Makhachev knows very well the danger that poses him, firstly because he is a grapple specialist. He hence chooses to fight against Poirier, who appears to pay more as his better alternative.

The Armenian’s claims appear to be due to Makhachev having named Poirier as his possible next opponent scheduled for UFC 300 and wanting to face the winner of a surprisingly encountered matchup between Charles Oliveira and Tsarukyan. For the Tiarukyan, Makhachev has been branding him and Lilbourne as the more dangerous opponents for their wrestling abilities. This is probably because a confrontation with the poirier is more lucrative and less risky.

Funds, according to the way things are perceived, impact the decision-making process as well. Facing the fighter who has just knocked out a high-profile fighter makes it an exhaustive task for the champ and thus portends a substantially less lucrative purse against Tsarukyan and Oliveira, despite the spectacular entertaining capability of the latter two. Based on this phrasing, it can be argued that Tsarukyan isn’t afraid of overtly pointing out what Tecium perceives as some possible driving force behind Aboll’s decisions.

However, presenting their arguments and counterarguments, Tsarukyan and Makhachev apparently have a burnt-out war of words, whereas other Armenian members of the UFC structure are commenting on this situation. The former two-division champion Daniel Cormier has only thrown more fuel on fire as he argued that Makhachev might even be more unbelievable than his acquaintance and friend, Khabib, who just owns them so much.

According to the expert’s opinion, it is the multi-pronged skill set of Makhachev that includes not only comprehensive grappling but also good striking skills that are to blame for the loss. Per Cormier, Makhachev is adept at both dimensions of the wikraving and thus is labelled as more versatile and, consequentially, more dangerous compared to longtime champion Nurmagomedov.

From there, Booth (2009) winds up by arguing for Poirier to get another chance at the championship after he won Saint-Denis through UFC 299. For Cormier, what Poirier accomplished was enough for him to receive another chance at the title and get to a new weight class where he will evolve into a fighter that could be more popular than he is.

It already has all those elements of drama that perfectly fit the next set of combat in the UFC lightweight division. Even though the winding process will be a daunting task, would Makhachev take the easy path and challenge Poirier’s belt? But then maybe he was going to ignore them and fight against them like Tsarukyan and Oliveira, who are looking for chances to prove themselves against him.

One thing is for certain: UFC’s lightweight class is still consistently intriguing to watch, and the latest chapter between the characters of Tsarukyan, Makhachev, and Poirier is just the latest in the ongoing saga. As fans thrillingly look forward to the next release, it is hard to disagree that the utter unpredictability and excitement of being part of the mixed martial arts organisation’s elite club is in a different league compared to others.

The fighters can now articulate their intention to pact between Tsarukyan and Makhachev overtly. This consideration goes well with the display dynamics of the lightweight division in the UFC. The retirement of Khabib Nurmagomedov left a power vacuum in which the competing fighters keenly scrambled for an opportunity to reign the vacant crown. Makhachev’s rise to stardom has been purely phenomenal, but he is still facing top contenders the size of Tsarukyan, who serve to remind us that the path to excellence is made of numerous potholes.

It’s Tsarukyan’s insinuations towards Makhachev that light the path to weaving exquisite chess games about matchmaking in the UFC. However, agents of that art and the athletes’ thought processes concentrate not only on legacy and contests but also on amenities.

For the athletes whose bodies are put on the line as they step into the Octagon, the prospects of getting budding opportunities can only help them continue beyond the glamour of being champions.

The opposition between the sport’s integrity and money-making is no new issue among professional shows around the globe, but it is a manifestation of the fact that nothing is solid on this earth. Athletes’ possibilities will become increasingly severe as they seek fame and fortune. Ultimately, they have to deal with the fact that their future depends on balancing two contradictory elements. Makhachev’s dream to face Poirier and have a big-money fight seems too much to resist, while Tsarukyan will not agree, as he might have a bad impression, in turn, from peers like Tsarukyan.

The deep-down story behind sport is the unexceptional struggle of guys like Tsarukyan, Makhachev, and Poirier, striving for greatness. Every athlete from the division of MMA fights nurtures a dream to carve their names in the annals of MMA, and the very ring provides them the stage for the fulfilment of their beloved ambitions. Whether it’s Makhachev or someone else moving up from his position as the division’s mopman to become the main contender for the throne of the division or Tsarukyan and Oliveira staking their claim to the throne, the aspiration of being great fuels the fire that pushes these athletes forward.

In the midst of the speculation and posturing, one thing remains certain: the UFC lightweight division now has a pulse for its team with endless options. Day by day, the division sees new competitors born, rivalry credit lines redrawn, and the landscape changing in an unexpected way. This being the case, we can only watch and cannot  take part in this drama, but we are waiting for the next episode to come out to avidly continue this captivating saga.

At last, the final verdict will come down to what history has in store for us. But one thing remains clear: However, now, in the UFC lightweight division, pretty much anything is possible, and each time, every fight has never been bigger than the one before.