Arman Tsarukyan transitioned directly from grappling to professional MMA and experienced intense fear during his first pro fight upon seeing the cage. He secured an early takedown, used ground-and-pound, and finished the fight in the first round. That victory convinced him he needed amateur experience, so he returned to amateur competition. In the UFC, he lost a short-notice debut to Islam Makhachev, then compiled five straight wins before a disputed decision loss to Mateusz Gamrot. He later achieved another five-fight winning streak, earned a title shot but withdrew due to injury, and served as a backup at a vacant-title event.
"I was so scared when I did my first pro,"
"I thought it was easy, like a street fight, but when I went there and saw the cage, I was scared and said, 'What if I lose? What if someone knocks me out?' I was lucky I took him down, did ground-and-pound, and won in the first round. Then I understood I had to do amateur fights. I did pro and then went back to amateur."
Read at Sherdog
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