In a news roundup, Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants Justin Gaethje to withdraw so he can fight and "throw Ilia Topuria out of the UFC," vowing to continue until he has at least five title defenses. Merab Dvalishvili clarified he has no issues with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, emphasizing healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Ilia Topuria, who recently updated his chest tattoo, made harsh comments about Tsarukyan. Additional updates include Tsarukyan discussing a potential Volkanovski bout and Khamzat Chimaev's prospects, Demetrious Johnson predicting Chimaev over Sean, Benoit Saint-Denis announcing a fight with Paddy Pimblett via social media, and Bogdan Guskov declining a bout with Baranievski.
A multi-fighter news roundup from April 21 brings together several storylines centered on the lightweight and bantamweight divisions, with Arman Tsarukyan leading the headlines with pointed comments aimed at Ilia Topuria.
Tsarukyan made clear he wants Justin Gaethje to step aside so he can face Topuria directly, stating his intention to "throw Ilia Topuria out of the UFC." The Armenian contender also spoke about a potential matchup with Alexander Volkanovski and addressed Khamzat Chimaev's prospects. Topuria, currently ranked second at lightweight and sitting atop the pound-for-pound rankings at 29 years old, fired back with harsh remarks of his own. The Georgian-born Spanish fighter carries a 17-1-0 record and lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the division's most dangerous finishers.
Merab Dvalishvili also weighed in on regional dynamics, saying he has no animosity toward fighters from Dagestan, Armenia, Georgia, or Chechnya — with one exception: Umar Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili framed the tension with Nurmagomedov as straightforward competition rather than political or ethnic conflict. Nurmagomedov, ranked second in the bantamweight division at 30 years old, holds a 20-1-0 record and is one of the more well-rounded fighters in the 135-pound class, averaging 4.03 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a 56 percent striking accuracy.
Elsewhere in the roundup, Demetrious Johnson offered his view that Khamzat Chimaev would defeat Sean Strickland. Chimaev, the top-ranked middleweight at 32 years old, carries a 15-1-0 record and an imposing 60 percent striking accuracy to go with 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes. Benoit Saint-Denis announced via social media that he will fight Paddy Pimblett, while Bogdan Guskov confirmed he turned down a bout with Baranievski.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's public push to fight Topuria adds pressure to lightweight title picture negotiations
- Dvalishvili's remarks clarify a specific rivalry with Nurmagomedov rather than broader regional conflict
- Saint-Denis versus Pimblett represents a significant lightweight booking if confirmed officially
- Chimaev remains a divisional force at middleweight with Johnson publicly backing him over Strickland
