Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants to fight Ilia Topuria and remove him from the UFC, declaring this as his goal and that he won't stop until he has at least five title defenses. Merab Dvalishvili clarified he has no problems with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, whom he dislikes, while emphasizing healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya and Dagestan. Topuria responded aggressively to Arman, calling him stupid and criticizing him for spending his father's money, threatening to break his jaw in the first round if they meet. Additional news includes Arman discussing a potential Volkanovski bout, Demetrious Johnson predicting Khamzat Chimaev over Sean Strickland, Benoit Saint-Denis announcing a fight with Paddy Pimblett through social media, and Bogdan Guskov declining a bout with Baraniewicz.
Arman Tsarukyan has set his sights on Ilia Topuria, declaring publicly that his mission is to remove the Georgian-Spaniard from the UFC and that he will not rest until he has secured at least five title defenses of his own.
Tsarukyan, the Armenian lightweight contender, has made no secret of his ambitions at 155 pounds. His stated target is Topuria, whom he views as the obstacle standing between himself and lightweight dominance. He also addressed a potential matchup with Alexander Volkanovski as part of the broader lightweight conversation surrounding his immediate future.
Topuria, currently ranked second at lightweight and first in the pound-for-pound standings with a 17-1 record, did not take Tsarukyan's comments quietly. The 29-year-old fired back sharply, calling Tsarukyan stupid and criticizing him for spending his father's money, and warned that if the two meet, he would break Tsarukyan's jaw inside the first round. Topuria averages 4.81 significant strikes per minute with 48 percent accuracy and also contributes on the ground with 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Merab Dvalishvili used the same news cycle to clarify his relationships within the Caucasus and Central Asian fighter community. The Georgian bantamweight stated he holds no issues with Dagestani competitors as a group, singling out only Umar Nurmagomedov as someone he genuinely dislikes. Nurmagomedov, ranked second in the bantamweight division at 20-1, is one of the division's most complete fighters, landing 3.86 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate while averaging 4.03 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Elsewhere in the news cycle, Benoit Saint-Denis announced via social media that he will fight Paddy Pimblett, Demetrious Johnson predicted Khamzat Chimaev would defeat Sean Strickland — the reigning middleweight champion carries a 31-7 record and lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute — and Bogdan Guskov turned down a proposed bout against Baraniewicz.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan targeting Topuria sets up a potential future lightweight title fight between two of the division's elite
- Topuria's aggressive public response suggests the rivalry carries genuine personal heat beyond promotional posturing
- Dvalishvili's comments about Nurmagomedov add tension to an already competitive bantamweight landscape
