Tsarukyan vows to remove Topuria from UFC, targets five title defenses

Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants Justin Gaethje to withdraw so he can fight Ilia Topuria and "kick him out of the UFC," calling this his goal. Tsarukyan also declared he will only stop when he has at least five UFC title defenses. Merab Dvalishvili commented that he has no issues with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, emphasizing healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Topuria responded harshly to Tsarukyan's comments, calling the Armenian fighter unintelligent and claiming he spends his father's money rather than his own. Topuria stated that if they meet in the octagon, he will break Tsarukyan's jaw in the first round.