Chael Sonnen Wants Arman Tsarukyan to Be Forgiven

Chael
Sonnen recently extended his support to Arman
Tsarukyan. 

Tsarukyan (23-3) has been denied a lightweight title shot despite
being widely regarded as the most deserving contender. Tsarukyan
was originally scheduled to challenge Islam
Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 311
last year. However, Tsarukyan pulled out due to an injury a day
before the fight, disappointing the
UFC 

As Dana White promised, Tsarukyan was sidelined when Makhachev
vacated his belt and moved up. Ilia
Topuria defeated Charles
Oliveira to win the vacant title while Tsarukyan weighed in as
the backup. While Tsarukyan kept rallying for a title shot, Topuria
seemed interested in fighting Paddy
Pimblett. Tsarukyan thought a title shot would be undeniable
when he finished Dan Hooker at
UFC Qatar this past November. However, Tsarukyan was sidelined
again when Topuria announced a short hiatus from action for
personal reasons. “Ahalkalakets” has to keep waiting while Pimblett
(23-3) will fight Justin
Gaethje (26-5) for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324
on Jan. 24 in Las Vegas. White claims Tsarukyan knows what’s going
on and that he has to fight his way back to a title shot. 

‘Weird Purgatory’

Sonnen believes Tsarukyan has been punished enough and wants him to
be forgiven. Sonnen wants Tsarukyan to be rewarded for cutting
weight and weighing in as the backup fighter for Topuria vs.
Oliveira.

“Can we please forgive him?” Sonnen told The Schmo. “Whatever he
did to get himself in this weird purgatory, can we also remember
that he agreed to be a backup fighter? That he did a training camp,
he flew out to Las Vegas. He went through the commission, he made
weight. He was ready to go on in a moment’s notice. You get
something for that. I want him to get something for that. I want
him recognized. I forgive Arman
Tsarukyan, and I want other people to forgive him.”