Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants Justin Gaethje to drop out so he can fight Ilia Topuria and kick him out of the UFC, while also declaring he won't stop until he has at least five title defenses. Merab Dvalishvili said he has no issues with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, whom he dislikes, while noting that fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya and Dagestan all work hard and have healthy competition. Topuria, who recently updated his chest tattoo, called Tsarukyan extremely stupid and said he would break his jaw in the first round. The post also mentions that Demetrious Johnson predicted a confident Khamzat Chimaev victory over Sean Strickland, and Benoit Saint-Denis announced a bout with Paddy Pimblett by posting roast beef on social media.
Arman Tsarukyan made clear this week that his preferred next opponent is Ilia Topuria, stating he wants Justin Gaethje to withdraw from his scheduled bout with Topuria so that he can step in and, in his words, kick the Georgian-Spaniard out of the UFC. Tsarukyan also declared he has no intention of slowing down, setting a personal goal of at least five title defenses.
Tsarukyan's target, Topuria, did not hold back in response. The 29-year-old Spaniard, currently ranked second at lightweight and sitting atop the pound-for-pound rankings with a 17-1 record, fired back by calling Tsarukyan extremely stupid and predicting he would break his jaw inside the first round. Topuria averages 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy, and also threatens with 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, giving him a diverse finishing arsenal.
Elsewhere in the Caucasus rivalry conversation, bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili offered a measured take on regional tensions, saying he holds no grudge against fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, or Dagestan, framing the competition among those camps as healthy. The one exception he named was Umar Nurmagomedov, the 30-year-old Russian ranked second at bantamweight, whom Dvalishvili said he genuinely dislikes. Nurmagomedov carries a 20-1 record and is one of the division's most dangerous wrestlers, averaging 4.03 takedowns per 15 minutes and connecting on 56 percent of his significant strikes.
The broader news roundup also included Demetrious Johnson predicting a confident Khamzat Chimaev win over Sean Strickland. Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion at 31-7, is 35 years old and fights out of Xtreme Couture, bringing a volume-heavy striking style that produces 6.04 significant strikes per minute. Additionally, Benoit Saint-Denis confirmed a matchup with Paddy Pimblett through a social media post, announcing the bout in characteristically unorthodox fashion.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan calling for the Topuria fight adds pressure to the lightweight title picture ahead of the Gaethje matchup
- Dvalishvili singling out Umar Nurmagomedov signals a rivalry with serious divisional stakes at bantamweight, where Nurmagomedov sits at number two
- The Chimaev-Strickland middleweight contest drew a notable prediction from a former champion, underlining its high profile
