Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants Justin Gaethje to miss weight so he can fight Ilia Topuria and "kick him out of the UFC," calling that his goal. Merab Dvalishvili commented that he has no problems with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, whom he simply doesn't like, emphasizing healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Topuria, who recently updated his chest tattoo, called Tsarukyan "incredibly stupid" and "a complete idiot," saying everything he's seen about him online is cringe, adding that Tsarukyan isn't rich and spends his father's money, and if they meet in the octagon he'll break his jaw in the first round. Additionally, Benoit Saint-Denis announced a fight with Paddy Pimblett by posting roast beef (an English dish) on social media, and Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with Baranievski.
Arman Tsarukyan stirred up the lightweight division this week with a pointed statement directed at Ilia Topuria, saying he hopes Justin Gaethje misses weight for their scheduled bout so that he can step in and face the Georgian-Spanish star — with the explicit goal of forcing him out of the UFC.
Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and currently sitting atop the pound-for-pound rankings at 29 years old, did not hold back in response. The Spaniard called Tsarukyan "incredibly stupid" and "a complete idiot," dismissed everything he has seen from him online as cringe, and claimed Tsarukyan spends his father's money rather than his own. Topuria added that if the two meet inside the octagon, he will break Tsarukyan's jaw in the first round. Carrying a 17-1-0 record, Topuria lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute and averages over one submission attempt per 15 minutes, making him a multidimensional threat in any fight.
Also weighing in on regional rivalries was Merab Dvalishvili, who stated he has no issues with fighters from Dagestan, Chechnya, Armenia, or Georgia — framing the competition among those groups as healthy — with one exception: he simply does not like Umar Nurmagomedov. The Russian bantamweight, ranked second in his division at age 30, holds a 20-1-0 record and is one of the sport's most precise strikers, landing at a 56 percent accuracy rate while averaging over four takedowns per 15 minutes.
In a separate development, Benoit Saint-Denis announced an upcoming fight with Paddy Pimblett through a social media post featuring roast beef, a nod to the Englishman's roots. Pimblett, ranked sixth at lightweight with a 23-4-0 record, is a dangerous submission threat who averages 5.49 significant strikes per minute and 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes for Next Generation MMA Liverpool.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan positioning himself as Gaethje's backup opponent keeps him relevant in the lightweight title picture
- Topuria's sharp public response raises the temperature on a potential future Tsarukyan matchup
- Dvalishvili's comments singling out Umar Nurmagomedov hint at a personal rivalry brewing at bantamweight
- Saint-Denis vs. Pimblett adds a high-profile lightweight clash to the upcoming schedule
