Arman Tsarukyan has finished 2025 with a championship belt, though not the UFC lightweight title he has been chasing. The Armenian contender, who pulled out of a planned title fight with Islam Makhachev earlier this year due to a back injury, captured the ACBJJ All-Star Title in Moscow on Wednesday night.
Tsarukyan defeated Mehdi Baydulaev with a rear-naked choke in the closing seconds of a 10-minute grappling match. The bout was briefly halted after Tsarukyan instinctively threw a knee during a clinch exchange, an illegal move under BJJ rules. Baydulaev responded angrily, causing a short moment of disorder before officials intervened and allowed the fight to continue.
Despite the scare, Tsarukyan regrouped and secured the submission to seal the title. The win comes after he was overlooked for an interim UFC lightweight title bout between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje at UFC 324. Tsarukyan has since said he will remain in shape as an unofficial backup for that fight, ready to step in on short notice as he looks to work his way back toward a UFC title shot.
