UFC CEO Dana White has revealed his backup plan for the June 14 UFC White House event set to be held between Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje. While speaking in an interview earlier in the week, White confirmed that the UFC has informed Armenian-Russian lightweight fighter Arman Tsarukyan to stand as a backup plan for the fight should either of the scheduled fighters get injured or miss weight.
For the 29-year-old Armenian who has been out of UFC action since fighting Dan Hooker on Nov 22, 2025, the announcement means a grand return to the big stage – plus a full reunion to great terms with Dana White – might be on the cards.
Although Tsarukyan has been out of UFC events for a few months now, he’s been active and successful at significant fighting contests since then. Virtually every other week, you’d find Tsarukyan in grappling contests or RAF Wrestling matches, putting his talents on display while proving he deserves the game’s biggest stage.
To be fair, Tsarukyan’s pulling out of the UFC 311’s main event on a day’s notice may have contributed to his woes and loggerheads with White. However, his recent feats rightly place him among the game’s hottest talents, prompting White to reward him by fixing him up for a potential big role at the UFC White House’s main event. White disclosed the UFC’s backup intentions while speaking with Nina Drama earlier in the week.
“If anything happens to that fight, Arman is in there.”
Gaethje, who doubles as the first fighter to win the UFC interim title twice, will seek to preserve his bragging rights against the highly outspoken Spaniard. Meanwhile, Josh Hokit is currently filling up the news rounds after his verbal outrage almost got him in a brawl with lightweight champion Ilia Topuria over brash presser remarks against Alex Pereira. Incidentally, we won’t get to see an official fight between Hokit and Topuria since openweight fights don’t fly anymore in the modern UFC.
Tsarukyan’s intense preparations and games would go unperturbed by the potential outcomes of the June 14 bout, however. He’s set to face popular influencer and American freestyle wrestler Mugzy at RAF09 in Arlington, before digging it out against Tony Ferguson a few weeks later at their tenth occasion.
