Just yesterday, we reported on an upcoming grappling match in Paris between UFC lightweight contenders Arman Tsarukyan and Benoit Saint-Denis. However, it appears that bout has fallen through, with Saint-Denis now set to face a different opponent – Marc Diakiese.
The initial announcement came from Tsarukyan himself during an interview with Michael Bisping. Tsarukyan revealed he would be grappling Saint-Denis in a 5-round match on May 17th under the ADXC promotion.
The news quickly sparked a heated exchange between the two lightweights, with Saint-Denis accusing Tsarukyan of lying and disappointing fans. Tsarukyan fired back, vowing to “destroy” his French opponent in front of the Paris crowd.
But today, ADXC’s official social media accounts announced that Saint-Denis’ opponent will in fact be Marc “Bonecrusher” Diakiese instead of Tsarukyan. Diakiese, a 17-7 pro MMA fighter from England, is significantly lower-profile than the ranked Tsarukyan.
It’s unclear exactly what led to Tsarukyan withdrawing from the grappling match he had announced just a day earlier. But fans looking forward to the France vs Armenia grappling showdown will now have to settle for Saint-Denis taking on Diakiese instead.
With Tsarukyan out, the stakes are lower for the May 17th contest. But Saint-Denis still has a chance to make a statement by beating Diakiese in front of his home Paris crowd. Grappling fans will have to stay tuned for any further shake-ups to this intriguing card.
