Dustin Poirier offers to fight Arman Tsarukyan for title with Islam Makhachev injured
Amid the current uncertainty over the extent of undisputed lightweight titleholder, Islam Makhachev’s arm injury, former champion, Dustin Poirier remains open to the possibility of taking on fellow American Top Team star, Arman Tsarukyan in an interim title fight next.
Makhachev, the current undisputed lightweight champion, has been sidelined since he submitted the above-mentioned, Poirier back in May at UFC 302, through an undisclosed arm injury – with the extent of the layoff yet to be determined as he sports a supportive arm brace.
Initially expected to fight number one ranked contender, Tsarukyan in a title rematch at UFC 308 in October, the promotion are instead now working on an undisputed featherweight title matchup between Ilia Topuria, and Max Holloway for the Abu Dhabi card instead.
Dustin Poirier interested in Arman Tsarukyan grudge fight
And while still weighing up his immediate fighting future off the back of his D’Arce choke loss to pound-for-pound number one, Makhachev, Lafayette striker, Poirier claimed he would be interested in fighting Tsarukyan in an impromptu interim championship pairing.
“I’m supposed to have surgery on my nose in October but like, if I’ve made a decision or something popped up I could push it back or whatever,” Dustin Poirier told MMA Junkie. “I’m just thinking, who is there for me to fight, but I’ve just got to do the 30 days, get in shape and get back on the mats hard, I haven’t been able to grapple.”
“I wonder what they’re [the UFC] are going to do, is Arman (Tsarukyan) gonna continue to wait for Islam (Makhachev)?” Dustin Poirier continued. “I don’t know when Islam’s gonna be back but I saw a thing that said he might have to have surgery so we’ll see, man. The lightweight division has been so crazy over these past years. Yeah for sure [an interim title fight with Tsarukyan] interests me.”
Who would win in a potential matchup: Dustin Poirier or Arman Tsarukyan?
