Increasing reports suggest Arman Tsarukyan may have added a few more notable names to his growing list of potential opponents, now that actor Tom Hardy was once in consideration, has become common knowledge. Now, it appears Dustin Poirier may also have been in the mix.

While his UFC career may have hit a snag, Arman Tsarukyan‘s wrestling venture appears to be gaining momentum. His recent exploits include a submission draw against Sharaputdin Magomedov and a complete sweep of four-time NCAA champion Lance Palmer.

How Dustin Poirier nearly ended up grappling Arman Tsarukyan

Intriguing details emerged during an interview with Ariel Helwani. While discussing his retirement plans, Dustin Poirier was asked whether he had considered a transition into boxing, something several MMA fighters have attempted in recent years. Poirier made it clear that once retired, he would not pursue boxing as a career, though he acknowledged the right opportunity could still change his mind.

As Poirier explained that he still has a few fights remaining on his UFC contract, Helwani probed whether grappling or wrestling might interest him. “Yeah,” Poirier said. “I actually got offered to go to Armenia and grapple with Arman.” He added that the organization Tsarukyan competes for reached out “maybe two or three weeks ago.”

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However, the logistics appeared to give him pause. “It’s just, man, I don’t want to travel all the way to Armenia,” Poirier admitted. Earlier in January, a curious report grabbed attention when Hype FC co-owner Armand Martirosyan revealed that negotiations were underway. “We are negotiating with Dustin Poirier about a fight against Arman,” Martirosyan said. “The contract has not yet been signed, but there is a chance that he will be the opponent.”

It may have sounded like wishful thinking until Poirier’s comments confirmed the talks were real.

Tom Hardy turned down an offer to face Tsarukyan

Before Poirier, Arman Tsarukyan faced a matchup against actor Tom Hardy. Hype FC had once explored matching the Hollywood actor, who holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, against Tsarukyan. “Few people know, but a possible opponent for Arman on December 30th could have been one of the most popular actors of our time, a purple belt in BJJ—Tom Hardy,” the promotion said.

Ultimately, movie commitments prevented Hardy from accepting the offer. A screenshot of his exchange with Martirosyan showed Hardy thanking the Hype FC co-owner and noting that the proposed purse was “far more” than what most BJJ practitioners typically earn. Sharabutdin Magomedov later stepped in as Tsarukyan’s opponent.

There could have been one more name on Tsarukyan’s list: Islam Makhachev. After suffering a loss in his UFC debut against the Russian fighter, Tsarukyan was later offered a chance to even the score when the two were scheduled to meet in a rematch for the lightweight championship. However, Tsarukyan withdrew from the bout due to injury.

When asked about the possibility of a grappling match with Islam, Tsarukyan admitted the chances were slim. He pointed primarily to Makhachev’s position in the UFC, noting that the reigning champion now earns significantly more competing under the promotion’s banner. “This grappling match with Islam won’t happen because Islam makes very big money in the UFC. I don’t think anybody can afford to pay him that amount of money,” he suggested in a Red Corner MMA interview.