Tsarukyan's Next Bout

Arman Tsarukyan is set to headline UFC 331 on September 19 in Los Angeles, with a BMF title rematch against Charles Oliveira reportedly in place for the card.

The two fought previously at UFC 300 in April 2024, with Tsarukyan earning a split decision in a contest that was not without controversy. The fight was followed by a separate incident — Tsarukyan was suspended and fined $25,000 for a physical altercation with a fan during his ring walk, a distraction that complicated what should have been a clean breakout performance.

A rematch with Oliveira gives Tsarukyan the chance to settle the result more definitively while also positioning himself for the lightweight title shot he has been targeting. He confirmed recently that he intends to compete for two belts before the year ends — the BMF rematch would be the first step, with a crack at Justin Gaethje's undisputed lightweight title presumably to follow if he gets past Oliveira again.

Oliveira remains one of the most dangerous submission artists the lightweight division has ever produced, and his record of finishing opponents who thought they had his number is long enough to command respect regardless of where he sits in the rankings at any given moment. Tsarukyan won the first fight. Oliveira will have spent the intervening months finding a way to change the outcome.

For Tsarukyan, the path he has outlined is ambitious. Two title fights before December — the BMF against Oliveira in September, then the lightweight belt against Gaethje — would be one of the more aggressive scheduling commitments a top contender has made in the UFC in recent years. It also reflects confidence in both his own ability and his recovery capacity between camps.