“I don’t give a damn what’s going on in the rankings!” Dana White on Arman Tsarukyan’s title shot chances

UFC President Dana White delivered a harsh statement about Arman Tsarukyan’s title prospects following UFC 323, where Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili to become the new bantamweight champion.

Responding to a question about Tsarukyan’s status, White made it clear that the contender will have to prove his right to a title fight all over again:

“I wouldn’t say he was kicked out of the title race. He already had his chance. And you know how that ended. Now he has to work his way back to the top. I don’t give a damn about what’s happening in the rankings. He’ll have to put in the work to return. You can’t treat the organization like that. You can’t get an opportunity and then… You just can’t. He knows what’s going on between us. And I don’t care what anyone else says.”

The UFC head’s tough stance came as a surprise to many fans, since Arman Tsarukyan still holds the No.1 spot in the lightweight rankings and, according to many experts, was the one who deserved the next title fight.

Meanwhile, the organization has already determined the interim champion: on January 24 at UFC 324, Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje will fight for the interim lightweight title. The decision sparked heated debate, as many expected Tsarukyan to be part of that matchup.