Arman
Tsarukyan will return to competition this weekend, though not
inside the Octagon.

The top-ranked
Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight contender is set to
face Indian fitness influencer Ankit Baiyanpuria in a
submission-only grappling match at a Hype Fighting event in
Armenia, the promotion announced on Instagram.

Arman Tsarukyan faces Ankit Baiyanpuria in a submission-only
grappling match at Hype Fighting in Armenia

Hype Fighting announced a submission-only grappling match between
Tsarukyan and Baiyanpuria for their upcoming event in Yerevan,
Armenia, on Aug. 1.

Tsarukyan has not competed in mixed martial arts since November
last year, when he submitted Dan Hooker.
The victory marked his return following a lengthy hiatus after
earning a decision win over former lightweight champion Charles
Oliveira at UFC
300 in April 2024.

While his next UFC appearance remains unconfirmed, Tsarukyan has
stayed active outside the promotion. The Armenian has competed
eight times under the Real American Freestyle banner, compiling a
7-1 record. His lone defeat came earlier this month, when he lost
on points to Colby
Covington.

Meanwhile, Baiyanpuria has emerged as one of India’s most notable
fitness influencers, building a massive online following through
his workout videos, traditional training methods and disciplined
lifestyle content. However, he has no notable professional
grappling credentials.

Islam
Makhachev’s elite grappling continues to draw compliments.

Makhachev will look to defend his
Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight title against
Ian
Garry in the UFC
330 main event on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in
Philadelphia. Ahead of his first title defense at 170 pounds,
Porrada Training Center coach Ronny
Markes has hailed Dagestan's ability on the mat.

Islam Makhachev's grappling advantage before UFC 330
welterweight title defense

Markes has worked with numerous high-level athletes at his Las
Vegas gym, including Johnny
Walker, Jessica
Andrade, Alexander
Volkov, Magomed
Ankalaev and Kelvin
Gastelum. Speaking to Sherdog, he offered insight into
Makhachev’s grappling prowess.

“I watched him train here at the P.I. against an ADCC champion, a
Brazilian more than 10 kilograms [22 pounds] heavier, under
grappling rules,†Markes said. “It was an incredibly tough session
and Islam only lost by two or three points in that grappling
spar.â€

The jiu-jitsu coach then broke down the Makhachev vs. Garry
matchup, emphasizing that the challenger's best chance of victory
is using long-range strikes and avoiding grappling exchanges,
especially considering how easily the Russian controlled former
champion Jack
Della Maddalena on the mat to win the welterweight title.

“Islam has the cardio to fight hard for five rounds,†Markes added.
“He made Jack Della Maddalena, who’s bigger than Ian Garry, look
like a white belt. If he manages to get the fight to the ground,
he’ll create serious problems. Ian’s best chance is to use his
reach and keep the fight at striking distance.â€

As you've probably already seen, Arman Tsarukyan has a fight booked… sort of. He's fulfilled his recent RAF duties and is now set to take on Indian bodybuilder influencer Ankit Baiyanpuria in a submission grappling match (checks notes) THIS SATURDAY?

Whatever.

The point is, Tsarukyan is still without an actual UFC booking in 2026 and we're approaching nine months since his win over Dan Hooker. According to the UFC's own rankings (Meta and Media), Tsarukyan is the No. 2 contender at 155 pounds and the name ahead of him is Ilia Topuria, who likely is not getting an immediate rematch against Justin Gaethje.

So isn't it time for Tsarukyan to get another championship booking? Yes, his UFC 311 opportunity ended in disaster and his relationship with the higher ups is frosty, but at some point the man has to get his due, right?

What do you all think, does Tsarukyan get a title shot this year? Ever?