Arman Tsarukyan stated that if Justin Gaethje pulls out, he wants to fight Ilia Topuria and kick him out of the UFC, vowing not to stop until he has at least five title defenses. Topuria responded harshly, calling Tsarukyan extremely stupid and claiming he would break his jaw in the first round if they meet in the octagon. Merab Dvalishvili commented on regional rivalries, saying he has no issues with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov. Meanwhile, Tsarukyan discussed potential plans for a fight with Alexander Volkanovski and prospects for Khamzat Chimaev. Demetrious Johnson predicted a confident win for Chimaev over Sean O'Malley, and Benoit Saint-Denis announced a matchup with Paddy Pimblett by posting a roast beef image on social media.
Arman Tsarukyan escalated his rivalry with Ilia Topuria this week, declaring that if Justin Gaethje withdraws from their scheduled bout, he wants Topuria next — and that he intends to force him out of the UFC entirely. Topuria responded without holding back, calling Tsarukyan extremely stupid and promising to break his jaw inside the first round should they ever share the octagon.
Topuria, 29, currently sits second in the lightweight rankings and first in the pound-for-pound standings with a 17-1-0 record. Fighting out of Spain under the Climent Club banner, "El Matador" is one of the most active strikers in the division, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy, and also contributes on the mat with 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Tsarukyan's comments also touched on a possible future fight with Alexander Volkanovski and on Khamzat Chimaev's prospects. On the subject of Chimaev, Demetrious Johnson weighed in, predicting a confident victory for "Borz" over Sean O'Malley. Chimaev, 32, holds a 15-1-0 record and is ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound. Fighting out of Allstars Training Center, the six-foot-two Swede-turned-UAE representative is a relentless wrestler who averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands strikes at 60 percent accuracy.
Elsewhere in the social media cycle, Benoit Saint-Denis announced a matchup with Paddy Pimblett through a pointed roast beef image post, and Merab Dvalishvili commented on regional tensions, stating he holds no grievances with Dagestani fighters as a group — with one exception: ranked bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov. The 30-year-old Russian carries a 20-1-0 record and ranks second at 135 pounds, averaging over four takedowns per 15 minutes and landing strikes at a 56 percent clip.
Why it matters
- A Tsarukyan-Topuria fight would pit two of the lightweight division's top contenders against each other with title implications at stake
- Topuria's pound-for-pound standing makes any matchup involving him an immediate divisional event
- The Dvalishvili-Nurmagomedov tension adds another layer to the already crowded bantamweight picture
