Arman Tsarukyan Wins India Grappling Match

Arman Tsarukyan added another win away from the UFC cage on Saturday, dominating fitness influencer Ankit Baiyanpuria in a grappling match in India. The lightweight contender took control during a short contest, using a suplex to put Baiyanpuria on the mat before quickly securing an armbar submission. Baiyanpuria tapped just over two minutes into the match, ending an appearance that gave Tsarukyan another chance to compete while he waits for his next UFC opportunity.

The finish was built around a clear change in position. Tsarukyan gained control while the two were standing, lifted Baiyanpuria and sent him to the ground with a suplex. Rather than allowing the action to reset after the slam, Tsarukyan immediately moved into position for the armbar. The submission followed seconds later, with Baiyanpuria tapping to end the match. The contest lasted less than three minutes and featured the kind of decisive grappling sequence that left little room for a comeback.

Tsarukyan turns a takedown into a fast finish

Arman Tsarukyan’s performance in India was not presented as a close technical battle. Once he established control on the feet, the match moved rapidly in his favor. The suplex created the opening, and Tsarukyan capitalized by transitioning directly to the armbar instead of prolonging the exchange on the ground. Baiyanpuria tapped just over the two-minute mark, making the submission the official end point of the bout. The result matters chiefly as a confirmed piece of Tsarukyan’s activity outside the UFC. He has called RAF home for the past several months and has continued competing in grappling settings while seeking a return to UFC business. This appearance did not settle his next MMA assignment, but it showed that he remains active rather than waiting without competition. The reported finish also provided a simple, complete account of how the matchup ended: control on the feet, a slam to the mat, then an armbar.

Baiyanpuria entered the event as an Indian fitness influencer, while Tsarukyan arrived as a top-ranked UFC lightweight contender. That distinction is relevant to the account of the match because the action unfolded in the direction many would have expected, but the finish still had a notable visual element in the suplex before the submission. Tsarukyan did not merely secure a position and wait out the contest; he produced a fast chain of actions that ended with a tap. The match also came as Tsarukyan continues to speak about getting back to work in the UFC. Reports have linked him to a major UFC fight in the second half of 2026, although no bout had been announced in the supplied material. That leaves the India appearance as a separate grappling result, not a substitute for confirmation of his next UFC fight.

Tsarukyan discusses possible future match

After the victory, Arman Tsarukyan said in his post-fight interview that he would be interested in a future match with Dillon Danis. That was an expression of interest, not an announced booking, and it should be viewed separately from Tsarukyan’s UFC plans. At lightweight, Tsarukyan remains a leading contender in the source material. He has been described as having five wins in a row in the division and as a deserving candidate for a title shot at 155 pounds, though the same report indicated he may need another victory before receiving that chance. Reigning champion Justin Gaethje has mentioned Tsarukyan as a potential opponent for the future, but the material also says it appears unlikely Gaethje competes again until 2027. For now, the confirmed development is narrower: Tsarukyan competed in India, won by armbar after a suplex, and reiterated that he wants to return to UFC action soon. His interest in Danis adds a possible grappling storyline, while his broader competitive focus remains directed toward the UFC lightweight picture.

• Fight sequence: Tsarukyan gained control on the feet, landed a suplex, then moved immediately to an armbar.
• Match outcome: Baiyanpuria tapped just over two minutes into a contest reported to have lasted less than three minutes.

Arman Tsarukyan’s India appearance delivered a brief but emphatic grappling win, with the suplex-to-armbar sequence providing the defining moment. It also keeps his recent competitive timeline moving while his next UFC fight remains unannounced. The result does not answer when Tsarukyan will return to the octagon, but it confirms that he is still competing and publicly focused on getting back to UFC work.

Sources: MMA Fighting; MMA Mania