Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants Justin Gaethje to pull out so he can fight Ilia Topuria and "kick him out of the UFC," claiming he won't stop until he has at least five title defenses. Merab Dvalishvili clarified he has no issues with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, whom he dislikes, while emphasizing healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Topuria fired back at Tsarukyan, calling him "incredibly stupid" and "a complete idiot," suggesting Tsarukyan spends his father's money rather than his own, and promising to break his jaw in the first round if they meet. Additionally, Benoit Saint-Denis announced a bout with Paddy Pimblett by posting a roast beef photo, Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with Baranyevsky, and Demetrious Johnson predicted a confident victory for Khamzat Chimaev over Sean Strickland.
A heated three-way exchange between Arman Tsarukyan, Merab Dvalishvili, and Ilia Topuria has set the lightweight and bantamweight divisions buzzing, with sharp words flying publicly among the Caucasus-connected fighters in the lead-up to what could be a significant matchup.
Tsarukyan sparked the latest round of trash talk by declaring he wants Justin Gaethje to withdraw from a scheduled bout so he can face Topuria instead, vowing to "kick him out of the UFC." The Armenian fighter added that he will not be satisfied until he has secured at least five title defenses, framing the rivalry in long-term terms.
Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and first in the pound-for-pound standings, wasted no time firing back. The 29-year-old Spaniard called Tsarukyan "incredibly stupid" and "a complete idiot," adding a personal jab suggesting Tsarukyan spends his father's money rather than his own earnings. Topuria, who carries a 17-1 record and attempts more than one submission per 15 minutes alongside a respectable 48 percent striking accuracy, promised to break Tsarukyan's jaw inside the opening round if the fight materializes.
Dvalishvili, meanwhile, used the media roundup to clarify where his loyalties and grudges lie. The Georgian-born bantamweight said he holds no animosity toward Dagestani fighters as a group, singling out only ranked contender Umar Nurmagomedov — the 30-year-old Russian who sits second in the bantamweight division with a 20-1 record and lands takedowns at a remarkable rate of more than four per 15 minutes — as someone he genuinely dislikes. Dvalishvili described the broader regional picture as healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan.
Why it matters
- A Tsarukyan-Topuria fight would carry immediate lightweight title implications given both men's rankings
- Topuria holds the number-one pound-for-pound spot, raising the stakes of any potential matchup considerably
- Dvalishvili's remarks about Nurmagomedov signal a personal edge to what is already a compelling bantamweight contender rivalry
- Demetrious Johnson also weighed in during the same news cycle, predicting a confident win for Khamzat Chimaev over middleweight champion Sean Strickland, whose 31-7 record includes a striking volume of more than six significant strikes per minute
