Gaethje Opens As Underdog Against Tsarukyan

Justin Gaethje has opened as a significant underdog for his expected lightweight title defense against Arman Tsarukyan.

BetOnline has Tsarukyan at -450 with Gaethje at +350, per MMA Mania — a steep line for a reigning champion who knocked out Ilia Topuria at UFC White House in June. The odds come on the heels of Tsarukyan's knockout win over Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 in Los Angeles last weekend.

Adesanya Breaks Down Tsarukyan's Path To Victory

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya told Demetrious Johnson that Tsarukyan will need to lean on his wrestling to win. "Arman is just going to have to grapple," Adesanya said. "He's going to have to do what he did [at UFC 331], but even better. Because I think after that last win, Justin overcoming even the third round when he got dropped to the body and then cracking the guy, making him quit on the stool; his confidence is all the way up."

Adesanya added that Gaethje's resilience and offensive chaos could pose problems for Tsarukyan on the feet. The former champion predicted total chaos if the fight stays standing, suggesting Tsarukyan would need to wrestle heavily to neutralize Gaethje's striking power.

Gaethje holds a 28-5 record while Tsarukyan sits at 24-3. No date has been announced for the title fight, though it could happen before the end of the year.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Latest UFC odds have Justin Gaethje getting dethroned, destroyed by Arman Tsarukyan