Arman Tsarukyan is in line to stand by for the June 14 lightweight title unification bout between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje at the White House lawn card. Dana White said Friday evening that the No. 1 UFC lightweight contender will be present and serve as the backup fighter if needed.
The assignment gives Tsarukyan a direct role in a main event built around Topuria and Gaethje, and it keeps the top 155-pound contender attached to the title picture after a turbulent stretch. He has won five fights in a row, but the path back to this spot has not been smooth.
Topuria-Gaethje at White House
White made the announcement at the official UFC Freedom 250 press conference, where he said, “Yes, it’s true,” about Tsarukyan taking the backup role. The June 14 bout is a lightweight title unification fight, with returning champion Topuria opposite interim titleholder Gaethje on the White House lawn.
That setting adds another layer to a fight that already matters at the top of the division. The backup designation means Tsarukyan has to be ready to step in for either man, and the title bout now has an immediate replacement on site instead of a scramble on fight week.
Tsarukyan’s road back
Tsarukyan earned his place near the front of the division with a decision over former champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 two years ago. He later preserved his spot as the top 155-pound contender with a submission win over Dan Hooker last November.
But that run came with baggage. The day before the Hooker card, Tsarukyan headbutted Hooker at the ceremonial weigh-in, and in January 2025 he withdrew from a scheduled bout with former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 on the eve of the event after saying he had a back injury sustained while cutting weight.
White, Tsarukyan, and the title picture
White said after that withdrawal, “He’s not getting (the next) title shot, so that means he’s going to have to fight his way back to the title.” Tsarukyan still worked back into a visible spot for June 14, and his presence gives the title fight a ready substitute if the main event changes at the last moment.
Topuria was blunt about the backup assignment. “Me personally, I don’t care who I have in front (of me),” he said, adding, “I’m going to break his jaw in the first minute, whether it is Arman or Justin.” For Tsarukyan, the job is simple now: stay on site, stay ready, and make sure the card does not lose its centerpiece if one of the champions cannot go.
