Arman Tsarukyan stated he hopes Justin Gaethje pulls out of his fight so he can face Ilia Topuria and "kick him out of the UFC." The Armenian contender set an ambitious goal of achieving at least five title defenses once he becomes champion. Merab Dvalishvili commented that he has no problems with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomadov, emphasizing healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. In response, Topuria called Tsarukyan "incredibly stupid" and "a complete moron," claiming he would break his jaw in the first round if they fought. Tsarukyan also discussed a potential bout with Alexander Volkanovski and offered his predictions for Khamzat Chimaev's future. Additionally, Benoit Saint-Denis announced a fight with Paddy Pimblett through social media, and Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with Baranyewski.
Arman Tsarukyan has set his sights on Ilia Topuria, publicly stating he hopes Justin Gaethje withdraws from his scheduled bout so the Armenian contender can step in, face the lightweight champion, and, in his own words, "kick him out of the UFC." Tsarukyan also laid out a long-term vision for his championship ambitions, targeting a minimum of five title defenses once he captures the belt.
Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and the current pound-for-pound number one fighter in the world, holds a 17-1 record and fights out of Spain under the Climent Club banner. The 29-year-old "El Matador" is a well-rounded finisher who lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and averages nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes. He did not take Tsarukyan's callout lightly, firing back by calling the contender "incredibly stupid" and "a complete moron," and claiming he would break his jaw inside the first round.
The back-and-forth also drew in Georgian bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili, who weighed in on the broader regional dynamic, noting he has no issues with fighters from Dagestan except Umar Nurmagomadov and highlighting what he framed as healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan.
Elsewhere in the news, Benoit Saint-Denis announced via social media that he will fight Paddy Pimblett. Pimblett, ranked sixth at lightweight and carrying a 23-4 record, is one of the division's most active strikers, landing 5.49 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy. The Liverpool-based 31-year-old fights out of Next Generation MMA and brings strong submission threat to go with his output. Separately, Bogdan Guskov turned down a proposed matchup with Baranyewski.
Tsarukyan also discussed a potential future fight with former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and offered thoughts on what lies ahead for middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev, the 15-1 "Borz" who currently sits ranked first at 185 pounds and tenth pound-for-pound.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan targeting Topuria directly puts pressure on the UFC to clarify the lightweight title picture
- A Topuria vs. Tsarukyan matchup would pit the division's top two ranked fighters against each other
- The Saint-Denis and Pimblett announcement adds a high-profile lightweight bout to the upcoming schedule
