Arman Tsarukyan Asks Justin Gaethje to Vacate Lightweight Title if He Doesn't Meet His Demand

Arman Tsarukyan is confident that a title shot would follow his statement victory at UFC 331. Additionally, Tsarukyan wants the title shot on his terms and even called the reigning champion, Justin Gaethje, to vacate the title if he fails to oblige his demand.

Arman Tsarukyan Unwilling to 'Wait' for Justin Gaethje's Preferred Time

Tsarukyan didn't take much time to reveal his next target following his first-round TKO victory over Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331. Besides demanding a title shot from Dana White, 'Batman' appeared in the UFC 331 post-show, where he revealed that he is eyeing a quick return to the octagon, with his ideal timeline being December 2026.

However, Gaethje's preferred time for his next encounter differs significantly from Tsarukyan's choice. In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, 'The Highlight' revealed that his hands still hurt from punching Topuria at UFC Freedom 250. Gaethje showcased no interest in taking to the octagon to defend his title before the end of 2026.

He said, "I still can’t punch anything. Both of my hands are still hurt from the fight, so I’m just gonna enjoy being the champion for the rest of the year."

However, with Tsarukyan eyeing a title fight in December, Gaethje's plan clearly doesn't fall in line with his wish. As a result, the Armenian lightweight asked the reigning lightweight champion to vacate the title and then return to the octagon according to his wish.

In a recent interview, Tsarukyan said, "I wanna fight for the title. If he wants to wait without a reason, he should leave the title, and we fight for the interim. For me, it doesn't matter who I'm gonna fight, but I need a title fight."

Arman Tsarukyan says Justin Gaethje should vacate the title if he plans to sit out for a while.

“If he wants to wait for no reason, he should vacate the title, and we can fight for the interim title. I need the title fight.”

via @DianaBelbita pic.twitter.com/VDXjps65r6

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) September 20, 2026

Tsarukyan also portrayed himself as the most deserving contender for the next title shot, saying that he would be "shocked" if the UFC gives the opportunity to Ilia Topuria.

The Armenian lightweight has also started playing mind games to lure Gaethje into accepting his challenge. Besides asking the reigning lightweight champ to vacate the title, Tsarukyan also opined that Gaethje is "scared" to fight him during his post-UFC 331 press conference.

It remains to be seen if all this actually gets him his eagerly awaited title shot at his desired time.