Arman Tsarukyan stated he would like Justin Gaethje to withdraw so he could fight Ilia Topuria and "kick him out of the UFC," declaring this as his goal while also vowing to achieve at least five title defenses. Merab Dvalishvili clarified he has no issues with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, emphasizing healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Topuria responded harshly to Tsarukyan's comments, calling him "incredibly stupid" and threatening to break his jaw in the first round if they fight. Additional updates included Tsarukyan discussing a potential Volkanovski bout, predictions for Chimaev versus O'Malley, Benoit Saint-Denis apparently calling out Paddy Pimblett via social media post, and Bogdan Guskov declining a fight with Baranyevski.
Arman Tsarukyan stirred up a wave of lightweight division chatter this week, publicly calling for Justin Gaethje to step aside so he could face Ilia Topuria, declaring his intention to "kick him out of the UFC" and targeting a minimum of five title defenses if he captures gold.
Topuria, currently ranked second at lightweight with a 17-1-0 record, did not hold back in his response. The 29-year-old Spaniard — sitting atop the pound-for-pound rankings — called Tsarukyan "incredibly stupid" and promised to break his jaw inside the first round should the two ever share the octagon. Topuria lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute with a 48 percent accuracy rate and averages just over two takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a threat across all phases of a fight.
Merab Dvalishvili also entered the week's news cycle, offering a measured take on regional rivalries. The bantamweight contender stated he holds no ill will toward fighters from Dagestan as a whole but singled out Umar Nurmagomedov as his one genuine rival in that group. Nurmagomedov, ranked second at bantamweight at 30 years old and carrying a 20-1-0 record, is one of the division's most complete fighters — landing 3.86 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate while averaging over four takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- A Tsarukyan-Topuria fight would be a legitimate lightweight title unifier or top-contender clash with major divisional consequences.
- Dvalishvili's comments sharpen the focus on a potential bantamweight showdown with Nurmagomedov, a matchup that carries genuine championship stakes.
- Also mentioned this week: Khamzat Chimaev (15-1-0, ranked first at middleweight) and Sean O'Malley drew prediction discussion, Benoit Saint-Denis appeared to call out Paddy Pimblett via social media, and Bogdan Guskov declined a proposed bout with Baranyevski.
