UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan shared that his initial motivation to pursue professional mixed martial arts was remarkably simple: he wanted to get verified on Instagram.
The 27-year-old Armenian-Russian athlete recently opened up about his unexpected journey into professional competition, which began when he was just 19 years old.
“I just told to my friend, I just want to get UC [UFC], get on my Instagram verification and the uniform from UC, and that’s it. I don’t want anything from this sport,” Tsarukyan candidly admitted.
However, what started as a quest for social media validation quickly evolved into something much more meaningful. As victories began accumulating, Tsarukyan’s perspective shifted dramatically.
“But then I started keep winning, and people started like tell me you’re like a good fighter and you can get in UC,” he explained. His manager’s encouragement further fueled his growing ambitions in the sport.
“I started believe myself and train hard and keep winning fights and I got in UFC,” Tsarukyan said, reflecting on his journey from social media aspirant to legitimate UFC competitor.
Today, Tsarukyan stands as one of the most promising talents in the UFC’s lightweight division, proving that sometimes great careers can start from the most unexpected motivations.
