In a series of statements, Arman Tsarukyan said he wants Justin Gaethje to pull out so he can fight Ilia Topuria and remove him from the UFC, stating this is his goal. Tsarukyan also declared he won't stop until he has at least five UFC title defenses. Merab Dvalishvili addressed relations with Dagestani fighters, saying he has no problems except with Umar Nurmagomedov, whom he dislikes, while noting that Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya and Dagestan all have hardworking people in healthy competition. Topuria responded harshly to Tsarukyan, calling him stupid and making disparaging remarks. The post also mentioned Bogdan Guskov declining a fight with Baranyevsky and other fighter news.
Arman Tsarukyan has made his ambitions clear, publicly calling out Ilia Topuria and declaring he wants Justin Gaethje to withdraw from their scheduled bout so he can instead face the former featherweight champion and, in his words, remove him from the UFC entirely.
Tsarukyan went further, stating that he will not stop competing until he has secured at least five UFC title defenses — a declaration of long-term intent that underlines just how seriously the Armenian lightweight is targeting the top of the division.
Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and the current number-one pound-for-pound fighter in the world at just 29 years old, responded sharply to the callout, dismissing Tsarukyan with pointed language and calling him stupid. The Spanish-Georgian fighter carries a 17-1-0 record and lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the weight class.
Standing between Tsarukyan and any title opportunity is Justin Gaethje, the reigning lightweight champion. "The Highlight" holds a 28-5-0 record and at 37 remains one of the division's most prolific strikers, averaging an extraordinary 6.48 significant strikes per minute with 58 percent accuracy.
Separately, bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili weighed in on regional rivalries, offering a measured take on fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. He described those communities as sharing a culture of hard work and healthy competition, but singled out Umar Nurmagomedov as someone he has a genuine personal problem with. Nurmagomedov, ranked second in the bantamweight division and fighting out of Eagles MMA, holds a 20-1-0 record and is one of the sport's most well-rounded grapplers, averaging over four takedowns per fifteen minutes.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's callout puts public pressure on the lightweight title picture ahead of any Gaethje scheduling developments
- Topuria's move to lightweight at 17-1-0 already has divisional rivals on alert
- Dvalishvili's remarks add tension to the bantamweight landscape, where Nurmagomedov sits as the division's second-ranked contender
