Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants Diego Lopes to pull out so he can fight Ilia Topuria, vowing to 'kick him out of the UFC.' Tsarukyan also declared 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 that individual but respects the healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Topuria, who recently updated his chest tattoo, called Tsarukyan 'incredibly stupid' and dismissed him as unworthy, claiming he would break Tsarukyan's jaw in the first round if they fought. Tsarukyan also discussed a potential fight with Alexander Volkanovski and outlined prospects for Khamzat Chimaev. Demetrious Johnson predicted a convincing victory for Chimaev over Sean Strickland. Benoit Saint-Denis teased a fight with Paddy Pimblett by posting a picture of roast beef (an English dish) on social media. Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with an opponent named Baranievski.
Arman Tsarukyan has made clear he wants a shot at Ilia Topuria, publicly calling for Diego Lopes to withdraw from his scheduled bout with the Georgian-Spanish star so Tsarukyan can step in and, in his own words, "kick him out of the UFC."
Tsarukyan, the Armenian lightweight contender, went further by declaring he will not stop competing until he has earned at least five UFC title defenses — a statement of long-term ambition that underlines how seriously he is pursuing the division's top prize. He also discussed a potential matchup with Alexander Volkanovski and touched on prospects for Khamzat Chimaev in separate comments.
Topuria, ranked second in the lightweight division and first in the pound-for-pound standings with a 17-1-0 record, was quick to fire back. The 29-year-old dismissed Tsarukyan as unworthy, calling him "incredibly stupid" and claiming he would break his jaw in the first round. Topuria lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and attempts more than one submission per 15 minutes, making him a genuine finisher at both range and on the mat.
The same media session surfaced comments from bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili, who addressed the subject of Dagestani fighters. Dvalishvili stated he has no general issue with fighters from Dagestan, Armenia, Georgia, or Chechnya, framing the competition between those regions as healthy. The one exception he named was Umar Nurmagomedov. The 30-year-old Russian sits second in the bantamweight rankings with a 20-1-0 record and is one of the division's most dangerous grapplers, averaging 4.03 takedowns per 15 minutes at 56 percent striking accuracy.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's callout puts pressure on the Topuria-Lopes booking and signals he sees himself as next in line at lightweight.
- Dvalishvili's singling out of Nurmagomedov hints at a future bantamweight rivalry with clear regional and personal stakes.
- Demetrious Johnson also weighed in during the same news cycle, predicting a convincing win for Chimaev over middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who carries a 31-7-0 record and lands a high-volume 6.04 significant strikes per minute.
