Arman Tsarukyan booked against former UFC lightweight champ at ACBJJ 18

Arman Tsarukyan is the number two-ranked lightweight contender in the UFC. While he has outlined his competitive return, it will not be under a mixed martial arts ruleset. Islam Makhachev is the listed number one lightweight contender, but with his looming welterweight title bid against 170-pound champ Jack Della Maddalena at MSG later this year, many foresee Tsarukyan being next up for the title.

While Tsarukyan versus Ilia Topuria is far from confirmed at this juncture, the former will, in fact, be testing his skills soon with a former UFC lightweight champ. This will transpire at ACBJJ 18 on September 19th. Tsarukyan will grapple against former UFC and WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson.

🚨 Arman Tsarukyan will take on former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson in a grappling match at #ACBJJ18 on September 19th in Moscow pic.twitter.com/UKXqVobmNj

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 12, 2025

The Moscow, Russia-based matchup will mark Arman Tsarukyan’s third straight submission grappling contest. Previously in this stretch, the 28-year-old has bested PFL combatant Makkasharip Zaynukov and former Bellator MMA lightweight titleholder Patricky Pitbull.

Arman Tsarukyan’s tumultuous UFC title path in 2025

The UFC lightweight championship was not always such an elusive thing for Arman Tsarukyan. In fact, Tsarukyan was initially set to vie for the 155-pound crown earlier this year. The Georgia native was slated to fight then-lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 before a last-minute back injury flare-up pulled Tsarukyan out of the bout.

Renato Moicano would eventually fill the vacancy created by Tsarukyan. But the Brazilian contender would be submitted early on by Mackhachev in their pay-per-view headlining bout in January. Arman Tsarukyan has since weighed in as the backup fighter for the International Fight Week headliner. Tsarukyan made weight for the vacant lightweight title clash between Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria for UFC 317 in June.

Despite the newly minted champion Topuria mentioning Tsarukyan in his post-fight interview after cementing himself as a two-division UFC champion, it still remains unclear as to when that, likely next, championship contest will take place.