Two fighters entered a submission-only contest with very different weights on their shoulders. For Arman Tsarukyan, it was another opportunity to prove why he is at the top of the lightweight division, even as the title picture stalls around him. For Sharaputdin Magomedov, it was a deliberate step into unfamiliar territory, where even survival counted as a major achievement.

That imbalance shaped the bout. ‘Ahalkalakets’ entered as the specialist, the favorite, and the one expected to impose order. Magomedov entered as a striker following rules that were clearly not designed for him. So, when the fight ended without a submission, the draw didn’t feel neutral. It leaned a lot more towards ‘Bullet.’

Team Sharaputdin Magomedov claims a moral win over Arman Tsarukyan

Before the match, Sharaputdin Magomedov’s coach, Gor Azizyan, had already redefined success. Competing in Tsarukyan’s world, he claimed, shifted the math completely. “If he manages to defend everything, that alone would be a win for him, right? Even a draw would be a win for Shara, since this isn’t his discipline,” Azizyan told Red Corner MMA ahead of the fight.

Azizyan increased the contrast by completely flipping the scenario. “Imagine what would happen if Arman faced Shara in a Muay Thai match. He wouldn’t even be able to defend himself,” he claimed in his native Russian. It wasn’t trash talk but rather context. Skills carry power only inside the environments for which they were designed.

Top Stories

Brian Ortega Gives Classy Response to UFC Fans Rubbing Alex Pereira and Tracy Cortez’ Relationship in His Face

Who Is Arman Tsarukyan’s Father? Nairi Tsarukyan’s Net Worth, Profession & Businesses

After Tracy Cortez Breakup, Brian Ortega Shares Emotional Confession on His Wife and Kids

Dana White Urged to Get Out of His Bubble After RIZIN’s Success

Joe Rogan Raises Alarming Doubt Over Tom Aspinall’s UFC Career After Eye Injury: “He’s Fu**ed Up”

That is where the draw hits Arman Tsarukyan the most. He stayed busy and active, but he did not achieve the promised clean result.

‘Bullet’ didn’t fold or panic when Tsarukyan pressed. The Armenian had his moments with some clean lifts, excellent control, and stretches in which he commanded where the match took place. However, submission-only rules have a way of stripping dominance down to its most brutal truth: that control without a finish leaves a lot of room for interpretation.

With this win, Sharaputdin Magomedov leaves the happier man. He didn’t have to win to validate his experiment. ‘Bullet’ defended, adapted, and remained dangerous in someone else’s discipline. As for Arman Tsarukyan, while this bout won’t directly affect his chances at a UFC lightweight title shot, this surely would make one question his claim that he already is a UFC champion, belt or not.

Tsarukyan claims to be a UFC champion

Arman Tsarukyan‘s claim to being a UFC champion was never about the belt. It was a mindset acquired while the division moved on without him. That context matters now. After a draw in a discipline he was supposed to control, the claim feels more exposed. Not entirely wrong, but definitely open to questions.

When you set yourself as the standard, every outing serves as a test of that belief. Just a week before this upset, ‘Ahalkalakets’ claimed, “Number 1 next to my name for a reason. The belt is just a formality at this point.” It was a confident claim, but this draw now invites scrutiny.

Competing often was intended to strengthen his case and prove that he is prepared to fight whenever the UFC calls. But results like this complicate the story. Until he returns to a title fight, every performance will be viewed as either proof or pushback. And for someone who already calls himself a champion, anything less than obvious domination leaves plenty of room for doubt.