Charles Oliveira’s journey back to the lightweight title is set to be a challenging one as he faces the formidable Armenian rising star, Arman Tsarukyan. The highly-anticipated No. 1 contender bout between Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) and Tsarukyan (21-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) is scheduled for UFC 300 in April, with the announcement coming from UFC CEO Dana White on Instagram late Sunday.
UFC 300 is slated for April 13 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, featuring a main card on pay-per-view, with prelims expected on ESPN and ESPN+.
Oliveira marked his triumphant return to the win column in June at UFC 289, securing a first-round knockout against Beneil Dariush. The victory followed his 2021 conquest of the vacant lightweight title against Michael Chandler and a successful defense against Dustin Poirier. However, Oliveira faced setbacks, missing weight for a title defense against Justin Gaethje, resulting in the belt being stripped. In October 2022, Oliveira suffered his first loss in nearly five years, tapping to an arm-triangle choke against Islam Makhachev in his quest to reclaim the title.
Meanwhile, 27-year-old Tsarukyan enters the bout on a three-fight winning streak. His most recent victory in December showcased his prowess, as he secured a TKO Performance of the Night bonus by defeating Beneil Dariush in just 64 seconds. This impressive win adds to his previous triumphs over Joaquim Silva and Damir Ismagulov.
The UFC 300 card is shaping up with exciting matchups, including:
- Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic
- Calvin Kattar vs. Aljamain Sterling
- Cody Brundage vs. Bo Nickal
- Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan
Stay tuned for more updates on UFC 300 by visiting MMA Junkie’s event hub.