Alexander Volkanovski: Tsarukyan hurt himself by not weighing in at UFC White House

Alexander Volkanovski believes Arman Tsarukyan made a strategic mistake by declining to weigh in as the backup fighter for the lightweight title main event at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.

Tsarukyan (23-3) was officially designated as the backup for the Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje lightweight title fight but had stated beforehand that he would only weigh in if he believed a fighter would likely pull out. Ultimately, Tsarukyan opted not to weigh in and instead competed against Tony Ferguson at RAF 10. Diego Lopes, already scheduled to face Steve Garcia in a featherweight bout, served as the backup instead and weighed in for the main event.

Volkanovski, himself known as a reliable "company man," believes Tsarukyan's decision will harm his standing with the UFC. Speaking on the "Bussin With the Boys" podcast, Volkanovski explained that the promotion favors fighters who help them out and rewards company loyalty. He pointed to Lopes as an example: the Brazilian has appeared at multiple major events including UFC 300, Noche UFC at the Sphere, and UFC Freedom 250, earning two consecutive title shots against Volkanovski within nine months as a result.

Tsarukyan is already without a lightweight title opportunity after withdrawing from a scheduled title challenge against Islam Makhachev last year. Not weighing in as backup at the White House is unlikely to improve his prospects of securing another title shot in the near future.