Joe Rogan Fears Arman Tsarukyan Could Be Denied What He ‘Deserves’ in UFC Title Race

Since his vicious first-round knockout win over Mauricio Ruffy, Arman Tsarukyan has been aiming for a Lightweight title shot against Justin Gaethje, who secured one of the biggest upsets in MMA history by defeating Ilia Topuria at the historic White House card. It was the Armenian's sixth straight win, making him the clear No. 1 contender at 155 pounds.

But his path to that shot is not settled. UFC CEO Dana White has yet to commit to a date for "The Batman". Meanwhile, Gaethje is serving his 180-day medical suspension and is not rushing to return to fight anytime this year.

Amid this, some hope dropped when Tsarukyan shared a positive behind-the-scenes update. However, Joe Rogan has poured cold water on it, warning that Tsarukyan could end up being passed over yet again.

Joe Rogan Calls Arman Tsarukyan the Fight, but Justin Gaethje Has Another Option

On a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, veteran UFC commentator Joe Rogan broke down the highly volatile landscape at the top of the 155-pound division.

"155lbs is all hanging on whether Justin decides to retire, what does he do, who does he fight?" Rogan noted.

Rogan explained that from a competitive standpoint, Tsarukyan has left no doubt that he earned the next title shot. Praising his dominant win at UFC 331, Rogan said, "I think Arman's the fight, the big fight is Arman, especially after what Arman did to Ruffy, that's the big fight, and also, that's the most compelling fight because Arman looks like indestructible. He looks like the guy… He's really f—— good and that's the fight."

However, MMA matchmaking rarely follows a straight line. Rogan referenced the upcoming UFC 335 card, where former champion Charles Oliveira defends his BMF belt against Diego Lopes. If Oliveira wins, Rogan believes a rematch between Gaethje and Oliveira could severely disrupt Tsarukyan's championship timeline.

"However, if I was Justin and I was looking at the landscape and I'm like, 'who shall I fight?' If Oliveira wins in his next fight and retains his BMF title and then Justin fights him in a rematch for the BMF and lightweight title together, I could see that fight too," Rogan added. 

While a dual-title legacy fight between Gaethje and Oliveira would generate massive pay-per-view numbers, it would leave the rightful top contender out in the cold. A rematch will offer Gaethje the opportunity to avenge his May 2022 loss at UFC 274, where Oliveira dropped him and forced a first-round rear-naked choke submission victory. 

However, choosing this path would mean ignoring the current divisional ranking. Rogan concluded by saying, "But then it seems like you're denying Arman what he deserves, he deserves a title fight.”

Tsarukyan's history also kept him away from the title picture. At UFC 300, he received a nine-month athletic commission suspension for striking a fan during his walkout. Later, a back injury forced him to withdraw from a rescheduled title fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311.

Despite these setbacks, Tsarukyan plans to wait exclusively for a title shot, refusing any other fights even if it keeps him sidelined until early 2027. While White notes that Tsarukyan's victory at UFC 331 puts him in a good position, the final decision rests with Gaethje. His manager confirmed that the timeline and choice of opponent depend entirely on what the champion wants to do.