Arman Tsarukyan told The Ariel Helwani Show that Charles Oliveira was back in front of a camera almost as soon as he pulled out of their scheduled 19 September meeting in Los Angeles.
“Charles’ friend died, and he cannot train, but I don’t understand. In three days or four days, he’s doing live streams.”
“He was just finding the excuse, and now he just finds the excuse.”
The friend was Allan Nascimento, a Brazilian flyweight and longtime training partner of Oliveira. He was 34.
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“This morning, Monday, August 3rd, our beloved fighter and exemplary flyweight, Allan Nascimento, was found unresponsive after suffering an apparent heart attack in his sleep,” the UFC said in an official statement.
Tsarukyan says he does not question the grief, only how quickly it turned convenient.
“Everybody’s different. Yeah, to lose somebody so hard, but you could beat me and dedicate this victory to your friend.”
The Diego Lopes theory
Tsarukyan’s suspicion is that Oliveira was steered toward a more marketable alternative involving the Brazilian’s BMF belt. Given a choice between him and Diego Lopes, he believes Oliveira picks Lopes every time.
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“Fight me or Diego Lopes, for sure he would pick Diego Lopes.”
“I just think that probably they’re going to make BMF versus him and Diego Lopes.”
None of this has been confirmed by the UFC or Oliveira’s camp, and the accusation stands as Tsarukyan’s alone. Oliveira has not publicly answered the “excuse” charge.
Ruffy steps in for five rounds
With the rematch shelved, the UFC has slotted Mauricio Ruffy into the co-main event of UFC 331 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on 19 September. The lightweight bout is scheduled for five rounds and is being treated as a title eliminator, with the winner in line for a shot at champion Justin Gaethje.
The bad blood between the two dates to UFC 300, where Tsarukyan edged the former lightweight champion by split decision. For now, his opponent on 19 September is Ruffy, not Oliveira.
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