Arman Tsarukyan cites the stunning changes Nina Drama got to his public persona before UFC 331

Arman Tsarukyan has drawn attention to the stunning impact that Nina-Marie Daniele (aka Nina Drama) has made on his public persona.

He appears to believe the the model-turned-influencer has had a stunning effect on his public persona by helping him become far more famous than he previously was.

The Georgia-born Armenian-Russian combatant particularly credited Nina Drama for helping him learn the ropes of the trade as a social media influencer. 

UFC star Arman Tsarukyan lauds Nina Drama for boosting his fame and success as a social media influencer

Arman Tsarukyan has been a part of the UFC roster since 2019 and has gone from strength to strength in the organization's highly competitive lightweight division. He's long been counted among the top contenders at 155 pounds and touted by many as a future UFC champion. 

Nevertheless, the grappling savant has faced criticism from certain quarters of the MMA community, who've argued that he doesn't fight as frequently as a top-tier competitor of his ilk should in his athletic prime. That aside, he's known to have achieved tremendous success as a social media influencer, especially with his comedic skits and miscellaneous content alongside Nina Drama.

During a recent conversation with Nina Drama, Tsarukyan seemingly referenced the same and stated, "Thank you. You helped me." 

Daniele indicated that Tsarukyan has competed in just two MMA fights in the 2024-2026 timeframe. She alluded to the exponential growth in his popularity despite his relative inactivity in his MMA career. Upon being asked about what helped his popularity soar in spite of his time away from the Octagon, Tsarukyan said: 

"Streaming. Streaming with you... Yeah. People that come see me, they say, 'Oh. You're a streamer, right?' I say, 'Yeah. I'm a streamer.' Even Russians, Russians go like, 'Oh. You're a blogger, right?'" 

The 29-year-old indicated that he has no qualms about being recognized for some of his professional pursuits outside the realm of mixed martial arts competition. Jesting about how even his cauliflower ears aren't a giveaway of his being a combat sports athlete, the wrestling maestro said: 

"I'm fine. I want to be a streamer. I want to be a blogger. I want to be a fighter. I want to be a wrestler. If I have time, so -- I like it." 

Arman Tsarukyan eyes financial growth and continued success heading into high-profile fight with Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331

Arman Tsarukyan is booked to face Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event of UFC 331 in Los Angeles on September 19. The winner of their highly anticipated lightweight clash is likely to be next in line for a title shot against UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.

Tsarukyan, on his part, is also scheduled to wrestle Dillon Danis for the inaugural RAF middleweight crossover belt at RAF 14 on October 23. Fondly referred to as the Armenian "Batman," the young mixed martial arts star is said to hail from a wealthy family and is himself engaged in various entrepreneurial pursuits.

As such, during his aforementioned discussion with Nina Drama, Tsarukyan reaffirmed his mission for financial growth and continued glory. 

Speaking about his success as a streamer and further streaming ambitions, he asserted, "I'm waiting for the big money... Money talks in this life. Everywhere." 

Watch Arman Tsarukyan credit Nina Drama for his success as an influencer and additional fame below (*comments at the 4:00-minute mark of the video):