Arman Tsarukyan has stopped pretending that patience is part of his plan. After watching UFC 324 without him, it became clear that waiting quietly at lightweight isn’t going to get him anywhere. While others jumped into interim title fights, Tsarukyan was left doing math—literally calculating how far his body might be pushed if the door at 155 remained closed.

That’s where the tension exists. A top contender, technically excellent and physically brutal, is openly discussing leaving his own division. It is not desperation, but rather defiance. If the UFC won’t provide him a path to gold at lightweight, Arman Tsarukyan is willing to carve one out elsewhere, even if it means facing one of the greatest featherweights of all time.

Alexander Volkanovski isn’t backing away from Arman Tsarukyan

Arman Tsarukyan didn’t dance around it when speaking to Ariel Helwani. He drew up the plan like a blueprint. He isn’t getting Justin Gaethje, Ilia Topuria, or anyone. So, he’s aiming lower on the scale. Walking about at 175, he believes that a rigorous cut will put 145 within reach by summer.

Not simple, but doable—and definitely worthwhile if it leads to a title battle. He said, “I talked to Coach Kyle, so we did the math, everything, so my body can go to 145. I’m saying it’s not easy, but we can make it happen. If it’s a fight in June, if we’re gonna know like in two, three weeks that we are fighting in 145, we’ll make it happen.”

It is worth noting that Tsarukyan publicly stated that he could easily defeat Alexander Volkanovski, even joking that one axe kick would be enough to end everything. For most champions, such comments would result in dismissal. Volkanovski’s response went the opposite direction.

When asked about ‘Ahalkalakets’ as a potential opponent, he welcomed the idea. He dubbed Arman “hilarious,” hailed his recent PR run, and casually compared him to the most difficult tests possible at featherweight—right alongside contenders like Movsar Evloev. To ‘The Great,’ this was not disrespectful, but an acknowledgment.

As for the real combat side of things, he also made it clear that wrestling wouldn’t be a surprise. “He’s saying he’s gonna axe kick; obviously, he’s gonna wanna wrestle. But again, you know, I like the guy,” he said, before adding, “But yeah, if we face him, everyone knows my takedown defense is solid, and if they forget that, I’ll remind him.”

What makes this fascinating isn’t whether the fight happens in the coming months. It’s what it represents. Arman Tsarukyan is done asking gently. Alexander Volkanovski remains hungry for legacy. And now, a fight that sounded absurd a week ago feels very real—born not from rankings, but from impatience, ambition, and two individuals who don’t back down from hard problems.

But the biggest question that would still bother several fans is that even if ‘Ahalkalakets’ makes the switch, will he be given a shot at the featherweight title, considering how Dana White has almost zero trust in the fighter?

Former opponent Dan Hooker reveals the biggest cause for Tsarukyan’s title snub

First, it was the altercation with a fan at UFC 300, followed by a UFC 311 pull-out. And to make matters worse, Arman Tsarukyan came under fire for a headbutt that landed during the face-off with Hooker at the UFC Qatar ceremonial weigh-ins. And while face-off altercations are not new, the damage done was what caused the real snub.

According to Dan Hooker, the weigh-in headbutt was not just symbolic posturing; it had real consequences that followed him long after the bout was over. Suddenly, the UFC’s hesitation no longer feels abstract. ‘The Hangman’ revealed that scans taken after their fight revealed that his nose was fractured, and not from anything that happened inside the cage.

Talking to Ariel Helwani, Dan Hooker revealed, “They were like, ‘You’ve got a fractured nose.’ C—, that was the weigh-in.” He further added, “That had absolutely nothing to do with the fight. Then, for this fight (at UFC 325), they were like, ‘You’ve got to medically clear (the nose) for this fight,’ and I just flat refused, brother.”

For the UFC, that’s a problem. Injuries outside the cage, particularly during non-competitive moments, are the type of red flags that promotions do not overlook. That context makes the snub easier to understand. Arman Tsarukyan’s abilities have never been questioned. What still looms over him is whether the UFC can trust everything around the fight to stay under control.