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UFC is favoring Justin Gaethje over Arman Tsarukyan for the lightweight title unification bout against Ilia Topuria on the UFC White House card on June 14, 2026, to ensure an American fighter holds a title at the event commemorating the US's 250th anniversary. Daniel Cormier explained that featuring multiple Russian fighters like Islam Makhachev, Khamzat Chimaev, and Tsarukyan could create a poor impression, so Gaethje's recent interim title win over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 makes him the preferred choice. This reshuffles the 155-pound title picture, sidelining the No. 2 contender Tsarukyan. Expect official card announcement soon as UFC plans the high-profile event with stars like Jon Jones.[1]
AgentMMA.com
