UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan has confirmed that he received an offer to face Hollywood actor Tom Hardy in a grappling match, though scheduling conflicts prevented the bout from happening.
Speaking with Helen Yee at RAF05 in Sunrise, Florida, the UFC star addressed the potential matchup that Hardy had mentioned publicly weeks earlier. “Yeah, I got that offer, but he couldn’t come because of he was filming something,” Tsarukyan explained.
When asked if the match could happen in the future, the Armenian fighter remained open to the possibility, saying, “Maybe in the future, why not?”
The grappling match would have taken place on December 30th, but Hardy’s filming commitments made it impossible to schedule.
Despite the missed opportunity, Tsarukyan expressed his willingness to face high-profile opponents. “I’m down for everybody, for big names,” he stated.
However, Tsarukyan’s primary focus remains firmly on his UFC career and securing a lightweight title opportunity. When asked about his ultimate goal, he was direct: “I want just the UFC title.”
The top contender revealed his expectations for when that opportunity might arrive, saying, “Hopefully, it’s in summer or in the end of this year, I’ll fight for the belt, for the title.”
Regarding the upcoming match between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, Tsarukyan made his preference clear. “I want Justin to beat Paddy,” he said, explaining his reasoning: “Justin, he’s going to fight with me, but Paddy, if Paddy wins, he’s going to try to avoid me and trying not to fight me because he’s not man like Justin.”
When discussing the current pound-for-pound rankings, which place Islam Makhachev at number one and Ilia Topuria at number two, Tsarukyan agreed with the assessments. “Yeah, that’s fair. I think Islam number one right now,” he confirmed.
Before his appearance at RAF05, Tsarukyan explained his participation in grappling events as a way to stay active while awaiting his title shot. “That’s why I’m doing some wrestling, grappling things. Just spend time, you know. Staying busy, staying sharp and healthy.”
With confidence about his future, Tsarukyan delivered a message to his supporters: “Just be calm. I’m going to get champion this year.”
