Arman Tsarukyan Appointed as Backup Fighter for Gaethje vs. Pimblett at UFC 324

Arman Tsarukyan will serve as the backup fighter for the bout between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, scheduled for January 24, 2026, at UFC 324 in Las Vegas.

Tsarukyan announced this himself during a press conference ahead of the ACBJJ 20 tournament. According to the fighter, after his appearance in Yerevan on December 30, he will travel to Los Angeles, where he will begin full training in preparation for a potential replacement.

“We have a tough journey ahead, so we must be ready for anything and take advantage of every opportunity,” Tsarukyan said.

Before starting his UFC 324 training camp, Arman has a busy competitive schedule. On December 17, he will face Mehdi Baidulaev in a jiu-jitsu match in Moscow, and on December 30 in Yerevan, he will compete against Shara Bullet under grappling rules. After that, the fighter will fully focus on his training camp for the UFC event.

It is worth noting that Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will fight for the interim UFC lightweight championship.