While their championship bout is not yet officially confirmed, it appears that the newly crowned UFC lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje, is slated to face top contender Arman Tsarukyan in his first title defense.
Following his victory over the previously undefeated champion Ilia Topuria at UFC White House on June 14th, Tsarukyan had planned to gift Gaethje a new truck. This gesture stemmed from a million-dollar wager Tsarukyan’s friend made on the American fighter’s win.
However, Gaethje later declined the offer during an appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” stating, “I’m not taking this truck from f*cking Arman. There’s absolutely no way I would take a truck… I’m going to have to ride around in a f*cking truck that a dude bought for me every day. I don’t know, I just can’t go there. We didn’t shake on it, he does not owe it to me.”
The 29-year-old Tsarukyan, currently ranked second in the UFC lightweight division, responded to Gaethje’s comments. “Justin is saying, ‘I’m not going to take the car. F*ck it, we’re not going to give it to him. He doesn’t want it, he doesn’t deserve that. Yesterday, I watched the video and I was shocked, like what the f*ck, if you don’t want it, f*ck you.”
“I’m going to f*ck him up in the fight,” Tsarukyan added defiantly. “I can’t wait. You’re saying you don’t want my truck and you’re not going to drive that, so f*ck you. Say ‘thank you’ instead of being rude, like what the f*ck? I give you the truck, we bought the truck, you’re saying, ‘I’m not even going to drive it,’ why are you such an assh*le?’ … I talked to his manager, I asked what [horsepower] he wants, I told him that we already got the truck. F*ck you, Justin, I can’t wait to whoop your ass. … If you don’t need it, you have friends, family, parents, just give away or give somebody who needs that, you know better. Why are you such an assh*le?”