UFC 317 just went down at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV, and there is a lot to digest, including an update by Dana White. In the main event, Ilia Topuria made history with a first-round knockout victory over Charles Oliveira up a weight class.

The Lightweight Problem

While “El Matador” is yet again on top of the world, the lightweight title picture is looking messy. Paddy Pimblett got into the cage after the fight to face off the new champion, which Dana White later called “a mistake.” Justin Gaethje is coming off a single victory over Rafael Fiziev, which hardly guarantees him a title shot. Threatening to retire if he doesn’t get the shot doesn’t help his case either.

There is one more man, though, the one who served as an official backup for the main event and got the title shot once before. Arman Tsarukyan had a fallout with the promotion after his withdrawal from the UFC 311 main event against Islam Makhachev.

White is still not ready to forget about the incident, but he perceives Tsarukyan making weight as a backup as a “step in the right direction.”

White Confirms Tsarukyan Didn’t Make Weight In January

The official reason for Tsarukyan’s withdrawal against Makhachev is a supposed back injury. At the post-fight press conference, though, White revealed — accidentally or not — that the fighter failed to make weight.

Much speculation surrounded the pullout back in January, but those were mostly just rumors and indirect evidence. Now, it appears to have been confirmed by the UFC CEO.

“Well, it’s not about getting back in the good graces… [Tsarukyan] had the opportunity to fight for the title and didn’t make weight,” White commented on their working relationships with the Armenian.

End Of My Dana White Rant

The somber reaction the UFC CEO makes sense in case the weight issues were the reason for the Tsarukyan’s pullout. White completely threw away the possibility of Tsarukyan getting another shot right away, which seemed quite weird in the context of the supposed injury.

Don’t let this whole situation distract you from the main story of the night: Topuria is the new lightweight champion. With the title picture vague and the super-fight against Makhachev far away, there isn’t a definitive answer as to who is going to be next for the Spaniard.

This discussion could be saved for later, unlike the celebration of Topuria’s incredible achievement.

Featured image credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

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