‘I Can’t Continue,’ Arman Tsarukyan Details Reasoning for UFC 311 Pullout

All was going well for Arman Tsarukyan in the lead-up to UFC 311, until it wasn't.
The #1 UFC Lightweight contender was scheduled to rematch champion Islam Makhachev in a highly-anticipated main event in L.A last weekend. A day before the card, Tsarukyan would withdraw due to an injury, losing out on a title shot he worked so hard to get.
In Tsarukyan's place, Makhachev submitted last-minute replacement Renato Moicano within minutes.
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Tsarukyan's Back Problems Began On Wednesday Night
Days removed from the aftermath of UFC 311 on Saturday, Tsarukyan relives the painful back injury that forced him out of the fight, spasms limiting his movement prior to the official weigh-ins on Friday morning.
"Everything was good [until] last day. Wednesday after training, I went to sleep and I started to feel my lower back and I couldn't sleep all night," Tsarukyan said on The Ariel Helwani Show. "I thought something happened, took some painkillers and they didn't help. The next day I thought like, it's gonna be good."
"After press conference, I'm gonna start my weight cut. When I started my weight cut, I was doing bike and like that moment, my back [was] like stuck and I couldn't move. I just laid down. It was crazy pain. I couldn't do cardio..."
Tsarukyan continued.
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"Then UFC doctors came and started to help me do some [physical therapy] and they said, 'You're gonna be alright in the morning. If you're gonna feel the same, you can continue cut your weight.' So, and I was like six pounds left when I went to sleep and the pain was same and like 5:00 AM I just said my manager, it's the same pain. I couldn't move, my lower back stuck. I cannot continue."
The plug was officially pulled on Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2 in the hours that followed, Tsarukyan living to fight another day.
Post-fight, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed Arman Tsarukyan would have to 'go back to the drawing board', implying he'd have to fight again before Islam Makhachev because of his withdrawal.
Tsarukyan is open to the idea, naming Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler as potential opponents for his return.
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