Shara Magomedov is not surprised to see Arman Tsarukyan get passed up for a UFC title opportunity.
Tsarukyan was not included in the interim lightweight title bout after champion Ilia Topuria announced that he’s taking some personal time off. Instead, the promotion booked Justin Gaethje against Paddy Pimblett in the UFC 324 headliner on Jan. 24 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
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In the meantime, Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) has been keeping himself busy with grappling matches. He meets Magomedov under the Hype FC banner on Tuesday, and is booked against Lance Palmer at RAF 5 on Jan. 10 in Florida.
“Yes, I can see why Arman wasn’t given a shot at the belt,” Magomedov told Red Corner MMA in a translated interview. “The UFC got new sponsorships with Paramount (broadcast deal), so they need Western audiences, Western fans.
“Gaethje is a seasoned veteran of the sport, who has a great background in this sport. He is also American. Fans love him and he has a big fanbase. Pimblett is an Englishman as far as I know. I haven’t seen his fights, but he’s got some great hype. So it’s a fairly interesting matchup. Arman was given his chance, and the fact he missed it played a dirty joke on him.”
Tsarukyan’s woes with the UFC started in January after he withdrew from his title fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 just one day before the fight. He also threw a punch at a fan during his walkout for his fight against Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in April, which resulted in a $25,000 fine and a nine-month suspension by the Nevada Athletic Commission. Tsarukyan also risked jeopardizing his fight against Dan Hooker after he head butted him during their weigh-ins for UFC Fight Night 265 in November.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC fighter says Arman Tsarukyan title snub due to discrimination
