Arman Tsarukyan has stated he wants Diego Lopes to withdraw so he can fight Ilia Topuria and "kick him out of the UFC," calling it his goal. Tsarukyan also declared he will only stop competing when he has at least five UFC title defenses. Meanwhile, Merab Dvalishvili clarified he has no issues with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomedov, stating he dislikes that particular fighter but emphasizes healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Topuria, sporting a new chest tattoo, fired back at Tsarukyan calling him extremely stupid and a child spending his father's money rather than his own, threatening to break his jaw in the first round if they meet. Tsarukyan also discussed a potential fight with Alexander Volkanovski and outlined prospects for Khamzat Chimaev, while Demetrious Johnson predicted a confident victory for Chimaev over Sean Strickland. Benoit Saint-Denis appears to have announced a fight with Paddy Pimblett by posting roast beef (an English dish) on social media, and Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with Bartosz Baraniewski.
