Arman Tsarukyan has spent the past year fighting to reclaim his position in the UFC lightweight title picture. But this time, the spotlight wasn’t on a fight announcement or a callout. It was on a lie detector test. In a video posted on the Aviator YouTube channel, the lightweight contender answered a series of blunt questions about his career, rivals, and one moment that still follows him around, his infamous withdrawal from the UFC 311 title fight against Islam Makhachev.

In the interview, Tsarukyan admitted that some fighters receive more hype than they deserve, pointing directly at Paddy Pimblett as an example, which was confirmed as being true. The machine also registered truth when he said he believes he would beat Ilia Topuria and that fans recognize his abilities. However, he hinted that the promotion’s leadership might not see him the same way, but we’ll get more into that in a minute.

Things changed when Tsarukyan discussed his 2019 fight with Islam Makhachev. When asked whether he believed he gave Makhachev the toughest fight of his career, the Armenian fighter downplayed his own performance, saying he thought Alexander Volkanovski had pushed the champion harder in their first meeting. The lie detector flagged that response as false, prompting Tsarukyan to laugh as the result appeared on screen.

Arman Tsarukyan also insisted he wasn’t particularly wealthy yet, but the detector flagged that as untrue. Another surprising result came when he claimed he wasn’t afraid of UFC CEO Dana White, a statement the device also labeled as a lie.

Then came the question that tied everything back to the UFC 311 controversy. Tsarukyan was asked whether he had ever pretended to be injured to avoid a dangerous fight.

“Yes.” (It’s a lie) Okay,” Tsarukyan said. “People think that I did it on purpose. So now they know. This machine knows something.”

Whether fans take the lie detector seriously is another matter. Polygraphs are far from perfect, and their results are often debated. But the segment still reopened an old discussion about Tsarukyan’s career trajectory.

That pullout, which happened just one day before the event, reshaped the lightweight division overnight. Tsarukyan had been scheduled to challenge Makhachev for the belt after earning his shot with a massive win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300. Instead, he withdrew, citing a back injury during his weight cut.

Renato Moicano stepped in as a replacement, and the fallout reportedly damaged Tsarukyan’s relationship with the promotion. Since then, the Armenian star has been working to rebuild momentum. He weighed in as a backup for the Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira title fight at UFC 317 and later returned with a dominant submission win over Dan Hooker in Qatar.

But adding to his woes, a 2024 suspension for punching a fan during his UFC 300 walkout and the ceremonial weigh-in headbutt with Hooker both drew criticism from the promotion. Arman Tsarukyan has since tried to repair that damage publicly, even apologizing to Dana White and UFC executives in hopes of earning another championship opportunity. And while he waits, the lightweight star has taken on a series of side-quests outside the Octagon!

Arman Tsarukyan set to rematch Georgio Poullas after viral brawl at RAF 06

Arman Tsarukyan has been keeping himself active in grappling and wrestling competitions, and one rivalry in particular has quickly gained attention outside the Octagon. The UFC star’s clash with Georgio Poullas at RAF06 turned chaotic almost immediately after the match ended. Tsarukyan won the freestyle wrestling contest by decision, but the moment that really grabbed headlines came seconds later when the two exchanged shoves and swipes, triggering a wild brawl that spilled across the arena floor.

Naturally, a rematch became inevitable. The two were initially expected to meet again in a submission-only grappling match at Hype FC on March 11. But Poullas withdrew from that booking, paving the way for Real American Freestyle to bring the rivalry back under its own banner. Now the rematch is officially set for March 28 at RAF07 inside the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida.

For Tsarukyan, it’s another way to stay competitive while the UFC lightweight division sorts itself out. The Armenian fighter holds a professional MMA record of 23–3 and is coming off a strong performance against Dan Hooker last November, where he secured a second-round arm-triangle submission. That victory pushed his winning streak to 5 in a row and reinforced his status as one of the top contenders at 155 pounds.

So while the lie detector segment sparked laughs and headlines, it also highlighted where Arman Tsarukyan currently stands. He’s one of the most talented fighters at lightweight, yet still waiting for the door to the title picture to fully reopen.