UPDATED Injury Ejects Arman Tsarukyan From UFC 311, Moicano In vs. Makhachev
BREAKING NEWS!!!!
— danawhite (@danawhite) January 17, 2025
Makhachev will now be facing Moicano for the lightweight title. #UFC311 is LIVE TOMORROW on @ESPNPlus PPV! pic.twitter.com/2JZevvpQP2
Editor's note: The article has been updated at 3:45 PM ET on Jan. 17 to add statements from multiple fighters.
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During the UFC 311 early weigh-ins on Friday, Sherdog learned from sources close to the situation that headlining lightweight title challenger Arman Tsarukyan suffered a back injury. As a result, he has been forced to withdraw from the main attraction against Islam Makhachev (26-1). The promotion turned to Renato "Money" Moicano (20-5-1), who was set to face off against Beneil Dariush on the main card. Per the UFC on Friday morning, Moicano has agreed to vie for the strap, and the new marquee match is set.
After the news broke, Tsarukyan put out a statement on social media, where
he explained his situation and apologized for his withdrawal.
"UFC and UFC fans," Tsarukyan wrote, "I regret to inform everyone that the news is that I had to pull out of UFC 311 with a back injury is true. This was the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my fighting career. I would like to thank the UFC for understanding and I look forward to competing for my first UFC Championship in the future. Thank you all for your support."
Champion Makhachev will be putting his 14-fight win streak against a brand-new opponent stepping up on a day’s notice. He will be attempting to become the first lightweight king to ever record four consecutive defenses, as he registered his first three against Alexander Volkanovski twice and Dustin Poirier. The man from Dagestan, Russia, currently serves as Sherdog’s top pound-for-pound fighter.
Like his former opponent, Makhachev also weighed in on the opponent change shortly after it came to light.
"What does this title represent," Makhachev asked. "It means you are the best in the world and if you are the best in the world, it doesn't matter who's going to be standing across from you. What do I say? No? NEVER. Let's do this!"
Brazil’s Carneiro will be getting his unexpected title shot after a terrific 2024 campaign that saw him pick up three wins. After claiming a decision over Drew Dober, Moicano scored his first career knockout by drumming out Jalin Turner with elbows and punches. He returned a few months later to dispatch Benoit St. Denis, forcing the doctor to rescue the Frenchman after 10 minutes of frenetic action.
Dariush was planning on entering the cage after a year away, with his previous pairing against Tsarukyan, where he lost in 64 seconds. It was the second first-round knockout defeat in a row, as Charles Oliveira crushed his eight-fight win streak by putting him away in about four minutes. Before the two losses, Dariush had prevailed over names like Mateusz Gamrot, Dober, Diego Ferreira and Tony Ferguson, while also registering one of a few spinning back fist knockouts in UFC history.
UFC 311 will still go down on Jan. 18 in Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome, although it comes with a new main bout as Islam Makhachev takes on Renato Moicano for lightweight gold. The other title fight that precedes it comes at 135 pounds as Merab Dvalishvili defends his belt against Umar Nurmagomedov. The main card will also include a potential light heavyweight title eliminator as Jiri Prochazka comes to blows with Jamahal Hill, and a thriller at middleweight when Kevin Holland faces Reinier de Ridder.
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