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Islam Makhachev vs Arman Tsarukyan 2 Preview & Picks – Makhachev To Retain At UFC 311
- Islam Makhachev vs Arman Tsarukyan 2 picks for Saturday, January 18
- UFC 311 is taking place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California
- Preview, predictions, stats & form
Islam Makhachev (Getty Images)
- Islam Makhachev vs Arman Tsarukyan 2 Preview & Picks
- Head To Head
- Islam Makhachev Form
- Arman Tsarukyan Form
Islam Makhachev vs Arman Tsarukyan 2 Preview & Picks
Islam Makhachev vs Arman Tsarukyan 2 Preview & Picks
Islam Makhachev is backed to retain his UFC lightweight title at UFC 311.
Makhachev is the more accurate striker, and he also boasts better takedown accuracy and defense.
Therefore we expect similar scenes to the first meeting with the champion winning on points.
- Islam Makhachev is on a 14-fight win streak
- Islam Makhachev won the first meeting by unanimous decision
- 2 of Arman Tsarukyan’s 3 career losses have been on points
- Makhachev has 59% striking accuracy & 53% takedown accuracy (Tsarukyan 48% & 37%)
- Islam Makhachev has 90% takedown accuracy (Tsaruykan 75%)
Head To Head
- Islam Makhachev won by unanimous decision when the two men last fought in April 2019
Islam Makhachev Form
Islam Makhachev is the reigning UFC lightweight champion with a career record of 26-1 (5 KOs, 12 Subs).
Makhachev debuted in the UFC in May 2015 and suffered an early setback as he lost his second outing, via first-round KO, at the hands of Adriano Martins.
He has not lost since though, embarking on a 14-fight win streak that has propelled him to the top of the lightweight ladder.
This run includes a unanimous decision victory when he took on his next contender, Arman Tsarukyan, back in April 2019.
Makhachev completed his rise to the lightweight title in October 2022 when he submitted Charles Oliveira in the second round to win the vacant title.
Then, in his first defence, the 33-year-old Russian turned back the challenge for former champion Alexander Volkanovski via unanimous decision.
The two men then met again several months later, and this time Makhachev was able to knock out Volkanovski in the first round.
Makhachev fought just once in 2024, but it was yet another successful outing as he beat Dustin Poirier via fifth-round submission.
Arman Tsarukyan Form
Arman Tsarukyan is the current #1 ranked lightweight contender with a career record of 22-3 (9 KOs, 5 Subs).
Tsarukyan arrived in the UFC in April 2019 and got off to a rough start as he dropped a decision to current champion Islam Makhachev.
He rebounded well from that early setback, embarking on a five-fight win streak that started with unanimous decision wins over Olivier Aubin-Mercer, Davi Ramos and Matt Frevola.
The 28-year-old Armenian then record his first two stoppage wins in the UFC as he beat both Christos Giagos and Joel Alvarez via TKO.
Tsarukyan’s run was ended in June 2022 as he lost a unanimous decision to Mateusz Gamrot, but he has not lost since.
He got back to winning was with a unanimous decision win over Damir Ismagulov in December 2022.
That was followed by two knockout successes in 2023 as he took down Joaquim Silva in the third round and Beneil Dariush in the first.
Tsarukyan then made it four-in-a-row in his only fight in 2024, edging Charles Oliveira by split decision in a title eliminator.
Verdict
Islam Makhachev has been on a tear in recent years and we expect that to continue here.
He is the better all-round fighter, but he is likely to need the judges here because it has been a long time since Arman Tsarukyan was last stopped.
He is the better all-round fighter, but he is likely to need the judges here because it has been a long time since Arman Tsarukyan was last stopped.
Islam Makhachev
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