{"id":356789,"date":"2026-06-26T18:35:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T13:05:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=356789"},"modified":"2026-06-26T18:35:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T13:05:14","slug":"ufc-told-it-must-be-arman-tsarukyan-difficult-justin-gaethje-next-by-daniel-cormier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/06\/26\/ufc-told-it-must-be-arman-tsarukyan-difficult-justin-gaethje-next-by-daniel-cormier\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC told ‘it must be’ Arman Tsarukyan difficult Justin Gaethje next by Daniel Cormier"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Follow us on Google Discover<\/span> <\/a> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Daniel Cormier has absolutely little doubt what the subsequent UFC lightweight title matchup ought to be.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 155-pound division has a brand new king after Justin Gaethje\u2019s performance on the White House lawn earlier this month.<\/p>\n

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Gaethje shocked the world against Ilia Topuria, defeating the previously undefeated Spaniard to finally claim the undisputed lightweight crown in his third attempt.<\/p>\n

Talk has already turned to the American\u2019s first defense, and \u2018DC\u2019 has made his selection between two vocal contenders.<\/p>\n

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Should Justin Gaethje retire following his undisputed title win?\ud83e\udd14<\/h3>\n

On his third attempt, Justin Gaethje finally became the undisputed lightweight champion, pulling off considered one of the largest upsets in combat sports history\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffc<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Photo by Chris Unger\/Zuffa LLC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Daniel Cormier shuts down Charles Oliveira\u2019s callout of Justin Gaethje to back Arman Tsarukyan\u2019s claim<\/h2>\n

Many were frustrated when the UFC snubbed Tsarukyan and as an alternative booked Gaethje\u2019s interim title fight against Paddy Pimblett this past January. <\/p>\n

With that in mind, the Armenian has loads of support on the subject of his desire to challenge \u2018The Highlight\u2019 in his first defense, which can not come until 2027 after the champ\u2019s recent comments about taking a break.<\/p>\n

One man has looked to upset those plans, nevertheless. Charles Oliveira has called out Gaethje, having beaten the American back in 2022 and recently dominated an opponent they share in Max Holloway to win the symbolic BMF title.<\/p>\n

For Cormier, the selection between the 2 is obvious.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt must be Arman. There\u2019s no way that it can’t be Arman,\u201d Cormier said in a video on his YouTube<\/a> channel.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get what \u2018Do Bronx\u2019 is saying. He’s the BMF champ\u2026 I just don\u2019t know if those victories (over Mateusz Gamrot and Holloway) would warrant you jumping Arman Tsarukyan.<\/p>\n

\u201cI consider that folks at the moment are ready to look at Arman fight for the belt, and rightfully so,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

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While he waits for confirmation of his next UFC fight, \u2018Akhalkalakets\u2019 has been keeping busy away from the Octagon within the wrestling and grappling realms.<\/p>\n

Tsarukyan will face Colby Covington within the fundamental event of RAF 11 in July, having gone undefeated in nine matches since submitting Dan Hooker in his last UFC fight seven months ago.<\/p>\n

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Follow us on Google Discover Daniel Cormier has absolutely little doubt what the subsequent UFC lightweight title matchup ought to be. The 155-pound division has a brand new king after Justin Gaethje\u2019s performance on the White House lawn earlier this month. Gaethje shocked the world against Ilia Topuria, defeating the previously undefeated Spaniard to finally […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":356790,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21048],"tags":[15319,13035,12301,7554,10916,4974,13674,15320,3928],"class_list":["post-356789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mma","tag-arman","tag-challenging","tag-cormier","tag-daniel","tag-gaethje","tag-justin","tag-told","tag-tsarukyan","tag-ufc"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t