Arman Tsarukyan is in Title Contention! (UFC Austin)

In the UFC Lightweight division, Arman Tsarukyan (8) defeated Beneil Dariush (4) in the main event of UFC Austin.

The Armenian followed a right knee that just missed with a right cross that knocked the American out after a minute had passed in round one.

Dariush started the fight well and looked comfortable landing a couple of body kicks and trying to pressure his opponent. Still, only one clean right was needed for the Tsarukyan to put away one of the top contenders in the division.

This win means Tsarkuyan will jump to fourth in the division’s rankings and despite Charles Oliveira being the clear number-one contender for Islam Makhachev’s throne, it could be a possibility that Tsarukyan could be the backup fighter for their fight next year.

It’s also a possibility he will face Makhachev if the Russian successfully defeats Oliveira again. Tsarukyan and Makhachev faced off in a competitive fight when Tsarukyan was just 22 years old on short notice and their styles of fighting clashed very well and could provide a brilliant encounter for fans once again.

For Dariush, this is another setback after being so close to earning a title shot after an eight-fight win streak. With two violent KO losses in a row and such a competitive division with the likes of Mateusz Gamrot, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje just to name a few, it’ll take a monumental achievement for him to come back to the top end of the division and earn a title opportunity soon.