Din Thomas: Arman Tsarukyan as UFC 317 backup doesn't mean he's 'out of the dog house'

USA Today

23-06-2025

Arman Tsarukyan getting the assignment as UFC 317 title fight backup would seem like a positive step forward for his career, but longtime analyst Din Thomas has doubts.
After pulling out of a lightweight title bout against then-champ Islam Makhachev on weigh-in day at UFC 311 in January, Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) has been trying to redeem himself with the company and get himself back to the spot he previously held as No. 1 contender.
He wasn't the first call to compete for the belt Makhachev vacated to move to welterweight. That instead went to Ilia Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and Charles Oliveira (35-10 MMA, 23-10 UFC), who meet in Saturday's main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).
Tsarukyan was recently confirmed to get the task of weighing in should anything happen to Topuria or Oliveira at the 11th hour before UFC 317, but UFC analyst Thomas doesn't think that guarantees he's in back in the good books of the brass, or will even get a chance to face the winner.
"I don't think it means he's out of the dog house," Thomas told MMA Junkie. "I think it means he gets the consolation prize because Justin Gaethje will probably get the next shot, and Justin Gaethje said, 'I'm not cutting weight to be a backup. I want the title shot.' And the UFC was like, 'All right, we're not going to make you cut weight.' Because Justin Gaethje should probably be the rightful owner of this position, so I think by default, Arman Tsarukyan was the only guy they could go to for this, and Arman is going to do whatever he can to get himself out of the dog house – had to say yes."
If his services as the backup are not needed, then it remains to be seen what Tsarukyan's next move will be. There's no clear next challenger after UFC 317, though Thomas clearly believes Gaethje will get that opporunity.
Whatever it is, it's something that will not meet the standard of a title shot that Tsarukyan was previously booked for. He's said he will do whatever the promotion asks to get his stock back up, and making weight at UFC 317, whether he fights or not, will be part of that process.
"You have to, because when you start playing with fire with the UFC, that's the hand that feeds you," Thomas said. "So when you start getting too close to biting it, you've got pull back a little bit and understand what's going on. And that's what I think happened. Sometimes these guys get in position where they start talking reckless or acting reckless, then they realize the show will go on with or without you.
"And in fact, without you, you're going to see your buddies in the sport (like Renato Moicano fighting Makhachev at UFC 311), and you're going to be really sad. So I think Arman Tsarukyan realized that and was like, 'Woah, I've got to make sure I stay in good graces.'"
To hear more from Thomas, check out his complete appearance on "The Bohnfire" podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn.