Israel Adesanya has a game plan in mind for Arman Tsarukyan, and it does not involve trading leather with Justin Gaethje. According to, Adesanya believes the clearest path for Tsarukyan in a potential lightweight title fight is to follow the blueprint Khabib Nurmagomedov used against dangerous strikers, get the fight to the floor and smother it there rather than engage in a firefight.

It is not hard to see why Adesanya would push that plan. Gaethje is coming off a brutal fourth round TKO of Ilia Topuria back in June, the kind of finish that reminds everyone why standing across from him is a bad idea unless you have no other option. Tsarukyan, meanwhile, just delivered his own highlight reel moment, flattening Mauricio Ruffy with an elbow in the first round in September, a finish that took under five minutes.

The numbers back up the caution around a potential striking battle. Tsarukyan is currently the number 1 ranked lightweight contender, right behind the belt Gaethje currently holds, so a title shot for him is not some distant fantasy.

Adesanya's own resume gives him plenty of reason to respect finishing power. He is currently ranked ninth at middleweight and rates 1443 on Elo after his last six fights, with his most recent outing ending in a second round knockout loss to Joe Pyfer at UFC Fight Night in Seattle. If Tsarukyan and Gaethje do end up sharing a cage for the title, Adesanya's advice is simple: take away the one thing that makes Gaethje so dangerous before it takes the fight away from you.