Tsarukyan Confirms Campbell Handshake Deal For Title Shot

Arman Tsarukyan says UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell gave him a handshake deal guaranteeing a lightweight title shot if he beats Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331.

Tsarukyan told Ariel Helwani he met with Campbell personally and got a direct commitment that a win on September 19 in Los Angeles puts him across from champion Justin Gaethje. "It's different when your manager is telling you something that they told him," Tsarukyan said, per MMA Mania. "But when you sit with somebody and shake their hand, it's going to be like that."

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Why Tsarukyan Took The Ruffy Fight Instead Of Waiting

The Georgian lightweight said he could have sat out for a direct shot at Gaethje but preferred to stay active on a major card. UFC 331 features the flyweight title rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja. Tsarukyan told Helwani the money was right and fighting in Los Angeles on a stacked card made more sense than waiting on the shelf.

Tsarukyan has fought once since missing weight for a title bout against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 in January 2025. He stopped Dan Hooker last November but drew heat from the promotion after headbutting Hooker at the weigh-in and breaking his nose. He later turned down a fight with Mateusz Gamrot and spent most of 2026 building his social media presence while the UFC kept him sidelined.

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to UFC 331 on Ticketmaster →

Campbell now runs day-to-day fight operations for the promotion. His word carries more weight than a manager relaying secondhand assurances, which is why Tsarukyan felt confident enough to take a dangerous fight against Ruffy rather than waiting for the belt. The bout goes down September 19 with a title eliminator billing and Gaethje waiting on the other side.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Arman Tsarukyan confident handshake deal will lead to title shot with UFC 331 win