Tsarukyan targets Topuria, calls for five title defenses; Merab addresses rivalry

Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants Justin Gaethje to miss weight so he can fight Ilia Topuria and remove him from the UFC, calling that his primary goal. Tsarukyan also declared he will only stop competing once he has achieved at least five UFC title defenses. In related commentary, Merab Dvalishvili clarified he has no issues with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, whom he dislikes personally, while emphasizing healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Topuria responded aggressively to Tsarukyan's comments, calling him stupid and predicting he would break Tsarukyan's jaw in the first round if they fought. The post also mentions Benoit Saint-Denis announced a fight with Paddy Pimblett by posting a roast beef image on social media, and that Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with Bartosz Baraniewski.