Tsarukyan: My goal is to knock Topuria out of UFC; Merab explains Nurmagomedov beef

Arman Tsarukyan declared he wants Diego Lopes to miss weight so he can fight Ilia Topuria and "kick him out of UFC," stating that's his goal. Tsarukyan also said he won't stop until he has at least five UFC title defenses. Merab Dvalishvili clarified he has no problems with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, saying he simply doesn't like him, while emphasizing that fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan are hardworking and friends, engaging in healthy competition. In a profanity-laced tirade, Topuria called Tsarukyan extremely stupid and said if they meet in the octagon, he'll break his jaw in the first round, also mocking Tsarukyan for spending his father's money rather than his own. Tsarukyan discussed a potential Volkanovski fight and outlined near-term prospects for Chimaev, while Demetrious Johnson predicted a confident victory for Chimaev over O'Malley. Benoit Saint-Denis hinted at a fight with Pimblett by posting a roast beef image on social media, and Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with Baraniewski.