Arman Tsarukyan stated he believes he would have defeated Khabib Nurmagomedov by decision, citing his well-rounded skill set as the key advantage. Jiri Prochazka expressed confidence that Alex Pereira could defeat Ciryl Gane in a hypothetical matchup. Dana White revealed he is pleased to have stepped away from direct fighter negotiations, saying the company has outgrown that phase and he grew tired of dealing with often frivolous fighter issues. Daniel Cormier proposed an unusual next fight for Islam Makhachev, suggesting a bout against Conor McGregor. Arman Tsarukyan was reportedly ready to wager one million dollars on Khamzat Chimaev's victory, but the streamer who proposed the bet quickly reduced the amount to fifty thousand dollars.
Arman Tsarukyan made headlines this week with a bold claim about the retired Khabib Nurmagomedov, asserting that he would have beaten the undefeated former lightweight champion by decision if the two had ever shared the octagon, pointing to his all-around skill set as the deciding factor.
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired with a perfect 29-0-0 record and remains one of the most dominant grapplers in MMA history, averaging an extraordinary 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. The Russian legend stood five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach, and while his striking accuracy sat at 48 percent, his ground control rendered opponents largely helpless.
Elsewhere, Czech light heavyweight contender Jiri Prochazka, ranked second in the division at 33 years old, weighed in with his own hypothetical, expressing belief that Alex Pereira would defeat Ciryl Gane if the two were to meet. Prochazka carries a 32-6-1 record and lands 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, making him one of the more credible voices on elite striking matchups.
Dana White also addressed a notable shift in how the UFC operates, acknowledging that he has stepped back from handling fighter negotiations directly. White indicated he had grown weary of what he described as often trivial fighter concerns and suggested the organization has matured beyond needing him involved at that level.
Daniel Cormier added an unexpected suggestion to the news cycle, floating the idea of lightweight champion Islam Makhachev taking on Conor McGregor as a next opponent. Makhachev holds a 28-1-0 record, is ranked at the top of the pound-for-pound list, and is a southpaw who connects at 58 percent striking accuracy while averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Finally, Tsarukyan was reportedly prepared to bet one million dollars on Khamzat Chimaev winning an upcoming contest, though the streamer who initiated the wager swiftly scaled the amount back to fifty thousand dollars.
