Arman Tsarukyan’s introduction of a new training partner is the perfect way to troll Islam Makhachev ahead of their world title rematch.
The pair will battle for the lightweight title at UFC 311 in Los Angeles next month, after Makhachev won their first meeting back in April 2019. Their initial bout earned Fight of the Night honors after Tsarukyan made a short-notice debut, and the challenger has only lost once since.
Now, they are set to compete for the highest stakes possible on pay-per-view at the new Intuit Dome in California. And Tsarukyan has drafted in a new teammate to help him prepare that will get in his rival’s head.
- Who is Islam Makhachev? Step inside the life of the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet
Arman Tsarukyan adds Adriano Martins to Islam Makhachev fight camp
In a new social media post, Arman Tsarukyan revealed that he had brought in Adriano Martins to help him train for his fight with Islam Makhachev. The Brazilian infamously knocked out the now-champion and handed him his sole loss back in October of 2015.
Tsarukyan shared a photo to Instagram stories showing he and Martins after a training session at American Top Team, which he left without a caption. But the ex-UFC star wrote in Portuguese: “Lions walk with lions.”
Martins didn’t win another fight after the Makhachev bout until March of this year, marking nine years without having his hand raised. And even when he did get a victory, he was robbed of the moment as the decision was initially read out incorrectly in favor of his opponent and changed later in the evening.
However, the move from Tsarukyan will likely get in the head of Makhachev, whose defeat came right in the midst of his teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov’s rise to the top of the division. He was brutally knocked out by Martins, and has since never looked close to losing again.
Fans react as Arman Tsarukyan brings in Adriano Martins for fight camp
Many fans on social media noted that the champion is now a completely different fighter almost a decade on. And they even made a point to note that the shot Martins landed in that fight appeared to be out of nowhere.
“IDK whether Arman is doing this on purpose just to play mind games,” one fan wrote. “But Arman also has a loss earlier in his career in the regional scene. He also has a loss to Gamrot. So if he’s trying to flex Islam’s only loss then thats dumb especially since Islam has already beaten him lol.
Another added: “His mistake is assuming Islam is the same guy. Why prepare for the fighter he was back then when he clearly has come such a long way as an all around MMA fighter?”
But some were not so sure, noting Tsarukyan’s impressive physique and asking “Arman has been training with Khamzat Chimaev, and now the guy who KO’D Makhachev….. Guys do I need to switch my bet or go parlay?”
- Who is Khabib Nurmagomedov? Inside the life of the most dominant UFC fighter of all time