Arman Tsarukyan did not observe the standard path to blended martial arts. The UFC’s No. 1 light-weight prospect spent a lot of his youth dreaming of the NHL as a substitute of the Octagon. In a current interview with Daniel Cormier, the 29-year-old opened up about his troubled childhood, his weight reduction on the age of seven, and the locker room brawl that foreshadowed his combating profession.
Arman Tsarukyan reveals all
Born in Akharkaraki, Georgia, Tsarukyan moved to Russia when he was round 3 years previous. The transition was brutal. “We did not have a house. My father labored all day and we did not have something,” Arman Tsarukyan informed Cormier. “We slept within the automotive. We did not have a house at the moment, it was chilly, and I lived in a chilly place.”
The household’s destiny modified when a Dagestani household supplied them shelter. “One Dagestani household mentioned, “Do not pay, you’ll be able to come and dwell with us.” We stayed with them for a few yr till they constructed a home,” he defined. His father, Nairi Tsarukyan, labored in building and finally constructed a profitable enterprise. By the point Armand was 12 years previous, life was secure.
Wrestling, weight reduction, and why he give up
Tsarukyan’s martial arts journey started with freestyle wrestling on the age of six, however karate got here first. “Earlier than that, I used to be studying karate, nevertheless it was just a little removed from my home and my father could not take me there by automotive. And there was a freestyle wrestling health club close to my home,” he mentioned. He stayed for 3 or 4 years and confirmed sufficient promise that his coaches believed he could possibly be an Olympic champion.
Nevertheless, there was an issue that induced him to go away the game. It was an excessive weight reduction for a kid. “Once I was 7 years previous, I used to be losing a few pounds. I used to be 7 or 8 years previous,” Tsarukyan remembers. The coaches did not perceive the injury they had been inflicting. “They informed us, ‘You’ll be able to’t eat something for 2 days, you’ll be able to’t drink something, it’s important to drop pounds and do that weight class.'” The load loss made him hate the game. ”
He’s adamant about defending future generations from the identical expertise. “Even you probably have children who wrestle, you do not make them drop pounds. That is the worst half about being a wrestler. Particularly from ages 7 or 8 to about 14 years previous, it would not matter. You simply follow, it would not matter if you happen to win or lose.”
hockey period
On the age of 9, Tsarukyan decided that will outline the subsequent chapter of his life. “All my teammates in school performed hockey all day. I performed amateurs with them, however I nonetheless wrestled, and once I was 9 years previous I used to be in a wrestling match. However within the winter, I might go on the ice thrice every week and play with them,” he defined. His coach noticed potential and urged he practice significantly.
His father totally supported the change, regardless of the expense. “My dad purchased me all my hockey tools as a result of it was just a little costly. He mentioned, ‘In order for you knowledgeable coach or if you wish to go someplace, simply ship me to Canada or wherever you need.'” I mentioned, ‘This can be a excellent place,’ and I stayed there. ” Tsarukyan performed for the junior staff of Hockey Membership Amur within the Khabarovsk area close to Alaska, the place hockey dominated the sports activities world.
“I began at 9 years previous. In hockey, you had been supposed to start out at 5 or 6 years previous, as a result of these three years are essential in hockey. Once I was 9 or 10, they had been already taking part in at 4 or 5 years previous. The competitors is on one other degree,” he mentioned. Out of about 30 gamers, solely three made it to skilled golf equipment, and one buddy made it to the NHL. Tsarukyan was not amongst them.
Locker Room Fights – The place Fights Meet Hockey
Whereas Tsarukyan struggled on the ice, his wrestling background gave him a unique type of benefit. When requested how a lot Cormier used his wrestling expertise in hockey, the reply was clear. “I used to be primarily wrestling within the locker room. We had been combating within the locker room and I used to be utilizing my wrestling. On the ice, I wasn’t excellent at combating, so my teammates would not mess with me.”
“The place I grew up, that is why combating is straightforward for me. I like combating, however I do not know the place it comes from, nevertheless it most likely comes from my blood,” he mentioned. His father inspired the remnants of his childhood. “Ever since I used to be a child, at any time when we went someplace as a household, there can be children, and my dad would at all times say, “Are you able to beat this man?” I might say, “Yeah,” and we might find yourself combating. For 10-year-old kids within the village, that is the best way issues are. I by no means misplaced a child’s match as a result of I knew wrestling. I knew find out how to shoot single leg and double leg and that was all I wanted. ”
Turning to MMA
On the age of 17, Tsarukyan’s hockey desires ended. He returned to martial arts via grappling, which was common in Russia on the time. “At that second, grappling was extremely popular and I mentioned all I can do is, okay, I am not going to be a hockey participant, I ought to go and do that grappling. And I attempted grappling, and immediately I gained a match in Russia. And I mentioned, it is really easy, possibly I ought to combat.”
His father was much less enthusiastic. “My father mentioned, okay, it is a very harmful sport, simply play as soon as and get out of there since you’ll make a idiot of your self.” However Tsarukyan began profitable. He made his skilled MMA debut in September 2015 on the age of 18, incomes about $4,000 per combat in South Korea and elsewhere. He finally achieved Grasp of Sports activities rankings in each wrestling and MMA.
Not like many Russian fighters, Tsarukyan’s father took a hands-off method. “He by no means pushed me. He simply supported me. He by no means mentioned, ‘Why are you sleeping? It’s a must to practice.'” He has by no means performed sports activities and would not know the way sports activities work. He simply supported me. I did what I wished to do. ” His household’s success gave him freedom. “I informed my dad, ‘If I am not a very good fighter, simply inform me and I am going to do one thing else.’ However I began profitable and have become a champion, and he noticed that.”
The only-leg and double-leg takedowns he discovered between the ages of six and 9 turned his basis. “I nonetheless shoot the identical single legs and double legs that I shot once I was 6 to 9 years previous.” His early days in professional wrestling, mixed with locker room scraps and a gradual begin as knowledgeable fighter, produced one of the crucial well-rounded lightweights within the UFC.
Tsarukyan at the moment ranks No. 1 within the UFC light-weight rankings and No. 15 within the pound-for-pound rankings, however stays on the surface of the title image. He watched from cageside as Justin Gaethje gained the interim light-weight title towards Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 final weekend, regardless of a five-fight win streak that included wins over Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariş and Dan Hooker.
His path to gold was derailed when he withdrew from his scheduled championship combat towards Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 in January 2025 after injuring his again whereas chopping weight. The child who discovered find out how to combat within the hockey locker room now faces a brand new check of endurance as undisputed champion Ilya Topria is scheduled to return to face Gaethje between April and June. I used to be ready for the second when the remnants of my childhood within the village would show to be only the start.
