Ex-UFC star makes a case for Arman Tsarukyan leapfrogging Ilia Topuria for title fight with Justin Gaethje

Arman Tsarukyan has long been lobbying for a shot at the UFC lightweight championship. He had, unfortunately, missed out on a shot at the title against then-lightweight champ Islam Makhachev in January of last year, owing to a fight-week back injury. 

Here, in September of 2026, a significant portion of the MMA community has joined forces with Tsarukyan in his calls for his maiden opportunity to fight for UFC gold. 

One such prominent voice in the mixed martial arts realm is former UFC featherweight and lightweight championship challenger, Kenny Florian. 

Kenny Florian makes a case for Arman Tsarukyan to leapfrog Ilia Topuria into a UFC lightweight title fight against Justin Gaethje

In a recent edition of the Anik & Florian podcast, UFC play-by-play commentator Jon Anik and ex-UFC star Kenny Florian addressed the UFC lightweight title picture. Arman Tsarukyan recently made a statement with his long-awaited return to the Octagon, which transpired in the co-main event of UFC 331 on September 19. 

"The Batman" knocked out the dangerous striking extraordinaire Mauricio Ruffy with a vicious elbow, followed by another, in the very first round of their lightweight clash. Speaking of which, Florian alluded to the belief that the matchup was deemed a UFC lightweight title eliminator by many. 

Moreover, the other frontrunner for a title shot against reigning UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje happens to be former UFC featherweight and lightweight titleholder Ilia Topuria. Well, Topuria is coming off his first MMA defeat, having lost the lightweight belt via fourth-round TKO to Gaethje in June. 

Florian seemingly acknowledged the elements at play, proceeding to suggest that Tsarukyan has more momentum than Topuria to demand a title shot. He stated, "Given the latest results, what is the fight that piques the interest of the fans the most?" 

Florian added, "It would be close in who gets that next one between him and Ilia (Topuria); assuming (Justin) Gaethje wants to stay in there as champ. But Tsarukyan -- I mean, what else did he have to do?" 

Florian indicated that Tsarukyan not only defeated a feared contender and lethal striker like Ruffy, but he also did so via KO in the first round. Making a case for Tsarukyan to jump over Topuria into a title showdown with Gaethje, he said, "Yeah. Tsarukyan's gotta be the next guy, I would think." 

Watch Kenny Florian discuss Arman Tsarukyan's strong case for a title shot against Justin Gaethje below: 

Kenny Florian believes Arman Tsarukyan left no room for doubt that he's next in line for the lightweight title shot 👀 But whether it's Arman or Topuria, whoever gets that shot is going to have a mountain of a challenge ahead of them in Justin Gaethje. Full Episode on the Anik & Florian Podcast YouTube!

— Anik & Florian Podcast (@AnikFlorianPod) September 24, 2026

Arman Tsarukyan's standing as a social media influencer, celebrity appeal are expected to boost his chances of a UFC title shot

Arman Tsarukyan has competed in several freestyle wrestling matches under the Real American Freestyle (RAF) banner over the course of this year. The Armenian-Russian fighter is headed into a RAF middleweight crossover title clash against Dillon Danis at RAF 14 on October 23. 

In addition to his consistent RAF appearances contributing to his popularity in the combat sports sphere, the 29-year-old has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the streaming world as well.

His streaming and miscellaneous social media content creation with Nina Drama and other internet personalities is believed to have amplified his celebrity appeal. Ergo, the consensus is that the immensely popular Tsarukyan could potentially face Justin Gaethje for the title -- setting aside the rumored Gaethje-Topuria immediate rematch -- likely in the first quarter of 2027.