Colby Covington knows Arman Tsarukyan better than most people in the sport. The former UFC interim welterweight champion recently defeated Tsarukyan at RAF 11 (Real American Freestyle 11), handing him his first loss in the promotion.
That victory gives Covington a unique perspective on Tsarukyan’s current standing among the UFC lightweight elite.
Colby Covington’s Verdict
“Justin Gaethje has no chance. Just the pace, the wrestling. The way he mixes it up with everything, no one is going to stop him right now.”
He did not stop there either.
“I am so convinced no one is going to beat him at lightweight. That is a perfect division.”
That is about as absolute a statement as anyone has made about Tsarukyan heading into what could be the biggest year of his career.
What Arman Tsarukyan Is Planning for the Rest of 2026
Arman Tsarukyan has made no secret of his ambitions. He has spoken about wanting two fights and two titles before the year is out. The first path leads through Charles Oliveira in a rematch for the BMF title, settling unfinished business from their earlier meeting while picking up hardware in the process.
The second and more significant target is the lightweight championship currently held by Justin Gaethje, which is exactly the fight Colby Covington is saying Tsarukyan wins comfortably.
Gaethje has already confirmed he is unlikely to defend the belt before 2027 given he has fought twice in 2026. That timeline complicates Tsarukyan’s ambitions but does not extinguish them. His manager has already flagged the Oliveira rematch as the most logical activity fight while the title situation resolves itself. Covington’s confidence in Tsarukyan’s ceiling only adds more pressure on the UFC to make that championship fight happen sooner rather than later.
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