Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants Diego Lopes to withdraw so he can fight and "kick Ilia Topuria out of the UFC," setting this as his goal. The Armenian fighter also declared he will only stop after accumulating at least five UFC title defenses. Meanwhile, Merab Dvalishvili clarified he has no problems with Dagestani fighters except one—Umar Nurmagomedov, whom he simply dislikes. Dvalishvili emphasized that fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan are all hardworking and friendly, engaging in healthy competition. Topuria, who recently updated his chest tattoo, responded harshly to Tsarukyan's comments, calling him "incredibly stupid" and predicting he would break his jaw in the first round if they fought. Additional news includes Benoit Saint-Denis announcing a fight with Paddy Pimblett by posting roast beef imagery on social media, and Bogdan Guskov declining a fight with an opponent.
