Arman Tsarukyan will serve as the backup fighter for the lightweight title bout between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje at the UFC White House event on June 14.
"Arman is the backup for the White House fight," UFC CEO Dana White said during Nina-Marie Daniele's stream Thursday night, according to X user ChampRDS. "If anything happens to that fight, Arman's in there."
Tsarukyan, the No. 2-ranked lightweight, last stepped into the Octagon in November, when he submitted Dan Hooker in the second round of the UFC Qatar main event.
The 29-year-old is unbeaten since June 2022 and riding a five-fight winning streak, which includes a split decision over former champ Charles Oliveira at UFC 300.
Tsarukyan's manager, Daniel Rubenstein, expects Tsarukyan to challenge for the title before the end of the year if he doesn't fill in at the White House, he told Heavy.com's Marcel Dorff.
Topuria is defending the 155-pound title for the first time against Gaethje, who claimed the interim belt in a unanimous decision victory over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 in January.
The bout between Topuria and Gaethje is scheduled to headline the promotion's historic card at the White House. An interim heavyweight title fight between Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira will serve as the co-main event.
