Arman Tsarukyan stated he believes he would have defeated Khabib Nurmagomedov by decision, citing his versatility as the key advantage. Daniel Cormier proposed an unusual career continuation for Islam Makhachev, suggesting a fight with Conor McGregor. Dana White commented that he is relieved to have stepped back from fighter negotiations, saying the company has outgrown that phase and he grew tired of dealing with often frivolous fighter issues. Jiri Prochazka is reportedly highly rated by UFC brass, having fought for the title four times in just eight UFC appearances. Tsarukyan was prepared to bet one million dollars on Khamzat Chimaev's victory, but the streamer who proposed the bet immediately reduced the wager to $50,000.
Arman Tsarukyan stirred debate during a recent media appearance by claiming he would have defeated Khabib Nurmagomedov by decision, pointing to his own versatility as the decisive factor. The comments arrived alongside a series of other notable storylines circulating in the MMA media space this week.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired with a perfect 29-0-0 record, remains one of the sport's most debated hypotheticals. The Russian legend stood five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach and was renowned for a smothering grappling style that produced 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. Tsarukyan, who trained alongside Nurmagomedov at Eagles MMA earlier in his career, clearly believes his well-rounded game would have posed problems that others could not.
Also generating discussion was a proposal from analyst Daniel Cormier, who floated a matchup between reigning welterweight champion Islam Makhachev and Conor McGregor as a potential career direction. Makhachev, 34, holds a 28-1-0 record, ranks at the top of the pound-for-pound list, and brings a technical, submission-heavy style to the cage, averaging 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes with a 58 percent striking accuracy.
Dana White added his own commentary, expressing relief at stepping back from direct fighter negotiations and suggesting the promotion has matured beyond that stage.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's claim about Nurmagomedov keeps lightweight division storylines alive heading into his next title pursuit
- A Makhachev-McGregor matchup, however speculative, would carry enormous commercial weight for the promotion
- Jiri Prochazka's standing with UFC brass is notable given his four title fights in only eight octagon appearances — the Czech light heavyweight, ranked second in his division at 33, carries a 32-6-1 record, a 203-centimetre reach, and lands 5.69 significant strikes per minute
- Tsarukyan's willingness to wager heavily on Khamzat Chimaev before the bet was immediately slashed underscores the streamer circus surrounding top fighters
