Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants Justin Gaethje to pull out so he can fight Ilia Topuria and "throw him out of the UFC," declaring this as his goal. The Armenian lightweight also said he will only stop when he has at least five UFC title defenses. Merab Dvalishvili commented that he has no problems with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, whom he simply dislikes, while noting healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Topuria, who recently updated his chest tattoo, called Tsarukyan "incredibly stupid" and predicted he would break his jaw in the first round if they meet. Additionally, Demetrious Johnson predicted a confident victory for Khamzat Chimaev over Sean O'Malley, Benoit Saint-Denis announced a fight with Paddy Pimblett by posting roast beef on social media, and Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with Baranyevski.
Arman Tsarukyan made his ambitions clear this week, calling out Ilia Topuria and declaring he wants Justin Gaethje to withdraw from their scheduled bout so he can get his hands on the Georgian-Spanish star instead. The Armenian lightweight said his goal is to "throw Topuria out of the UFC" and added he will not stop competing until he has made at least five UFC title defenses.
Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and first on the pound-for-pound list with a 17-1-0 record, did not hold back in response. The 29-year-old from Spain fired back by calling Tsarukyan "incredibly stupid" and predicted he would break his jaw in the first round if the two ever meet. Topuria lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute and attempts more than one submission per 15 minutes, making him dangerous in every phase of a fight.
Elsewhere in the Caucasus region chatter, Merab Dvalishvili addressed the competitive relationships between fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan, describing the dynamic as healthy rivalry. He singled out Umar Nurmagomedov as the one exception, noting a personal dislike for the Russian bantamweight contender. Nurmagomedov, 30, holds a 20-1-0 record and ranks second in the bantamweight division. He lands 3.86 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy and averages over four takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- A Tsarukyan vs. Topuria matchup would be a top-two lightweight collision with the division's immediate future on the line
- Topuria's pound-for-pound standing and five-defense ambition from Tsarukyan's side raise the stakes beyond a single fight
- Khamzat Chimaev, the top-ranked middleweight at 15-1-0 with a 60 percent striking accuracy and 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, was tipped by Demetrious Johnson for a confident win over Sean O'Malley in a separate development
- Benoit Saint-Denis announced a matchup with Paddy Pimblett through a social media post, while Bogdan Guskov turned down a fight with Baranyevski
