Arman Tsarukyan stated he would like Gaethje to withdraw so he can fight and remove Topuria from the UFC, calling it his goal and vowing to continue until he has at least five title defenses. Merab Dvalishvili said he has no problems with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, whom he dislikes, while praising the work ethic and healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Topuria, who updated his chest tattoo, called Tsarukyan stupid and irrelevant, claiming he would break his jaw in the first round if they fought. Additional notes mention Tsarukyan discussing a potential Volkanovski fight and predicting outcomes for Chimaev, Demetrious Johnson predicting Chimaev over O'Malley, Benoit Saint-Denis posting roast beef to suggest a fight with Paddy Pimblett, and Bogdan Guskov declining a fight with Baraniewski.
Arman Tsarukyan has made his ambitions clear, publicly calling out Ilia Topuria and vowing to strip him of the lightweight title, while a flurry of social media activity from several other fighters added noise to an already busy week of callouts and commentary.
Tsarukyan expressed his desire for Justin Gaethje to step aside so he can get a crack at Topuria, framing the matchup as a personal mission. The Armenian contender stated his long-term goal is to hold the lightweight belt for at least five title defenses. He also touched on a potential fight with Alexander Volkanovski and offered his thoughts on Khamzat Chimaev's upcoming prospects.
Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and sitting atop the pound-for-pound rankings at 29 years old, was not short on words in response. The Spain-based Georgian, who carries a 17-1 record and lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute, dismissed Tsarukyan as stupid and irrelevant, promising to break his jaw inside the first round.
Merab Dvalishvili offered a more measured take on regional rivalries, saying he holds no grudge against fighters from Dagestan, Armenia, Georgia, or Chechnya, praising the shared work ethic and competitive spirit across those communities. The one exception he named was Umar Nurmagomedov, the 30-year-old Russian ranked second at bantamweight, who carries a 20-1 record and averages over four takedowns per 15 minutes. Dvalishvili made clear his feelings toward Nurmagomedov are personal.
Elsewhere, Khamzat Chimaev drew commentary from Demetrious Johnson, who predicted the Middleweight number-one ranked contender would beat Sean O'Malley. Chimaev, 32, holds a 15-1 record and connects at 60 percent striking accuracy while averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes. Benoit Saint-Denis hinted at interest in a fight with Paddy Pimblett by posting an image of roast beef on social media, while Bogdan Guskov confirmed he turned down an offer to meet Baraniewski.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's public pursuit of Topuria adds pressure to the lightweight title picture heading into Gaethje's scheduled bout
- Dvalishvili singling out Umar Nurmagomedov signals a potential bantamweight rivalry with real friction behind it
- Chimaev drawing attention from multiple fighters and pundits keeps the middleweight division in the spotlight
