Title challenger Arman Tsarukyan vows to unleash secret move to defeat former nemesis at UFC 311

Armenian contender Arman Tsarukyan is planning to exact revenge on nemesis Islam Makhachev at UFC 311, and he's even got a secret weapon up his sleeve to do it.

Tsarukyan made his UFC debut against Makhachev back in 2019 in a fight he lost on the scorecards after three competitive rounds. But since then, Makhachev – a protege of legendary former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov – has risen to the top of the lightweight division and now sits as its undisputed champion.

Tsarukyan, meanwhile, hasn't had as rapid a rise, but he's gradually made progress, too, and now finds himself ready to challenge for the title for the first time.

That means an Octagon reunion with Makhachev and, ahead of the rematch, Tsarukyan teased during an appearance on the "Pound for Pound" podcast that he's been working on a "secret technique" to topple the UFC's top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter.

But, when he was asked to elaborate further on his special move, Tsarukyan wouldn't budge.

"Everybody's asking, 'Tell me your secret technique!' How can I tell you?" he told reporters during a media day session ahead of his bout in Inglewood, California this weekend.

"OK, 'high kick' is what I'm saying to everybody.

"I don't know, I shouldn't say that secret technique. Everybody is asking the same question: 'What is the secret technique?' It doesn't make sense to ask that question. It's a high kick, guys."

High kicks are part of almost every fighter's arsenal, so it's fair to assume Tsarukyan was just trying to shut down the topic with a generic answer. But he then added more intrigue to the mystery by suggesting that the move had never been used in a UFC fight before.

"The technique, I've never seen (it) in the UFC – in the highlights, as well," he said.

"That technique, you’re gonna say, 'Oh wow, what is that?'

"It's gonna work if I throw it!"

What will the "secret technique" be? Will he throw it? Will it land? And will it help him to victory over the best pound-for-pound fighter in MMA today? We'll be watching with interest on Saturday night...

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