Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants Gaethje to pull out of his fight so he can face Ilia Topuria and "kick him out of the UFC," adding that his goal is 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 aggressively to Tsarukyan, calling him "incredibly stupid" and claiming he would break his jaw in the first round, while mocking him for spending his father's money. Tsarukyan also discussed a potential fight with Volkanovski and outlined prospects for Chimaev. Demetrious Johnson predicted a decisive victory for Khamzat Chimaev over Sean O'Malley, while Benoit Saint-Denis announced a fight with Pimblett by posting roast beef on social media. Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with Baranyevski.
Arman Tsarukyan has turned up the heat on Ilia Topuria, publicly calling for Justin Gaethje to withdraw from his scheduled bout so that Tsarukyan can step in and face the lightweight contender — promising to "kick him out of the UFC" in the process. The Armenian fighter also set an ambitious personal benchmark, stating his goal is to earn at least five title defenses in the division.
Topuria, ranked second in the lightweight division at 29 years old, wasted no time firing back. The Spanish-Georgian fighter — carrying a 17-1-0 record and a pound-for-pound ranking of first — called Tsarukyan "incredibly stupid," claimed he would break his jaw inside the first round, and mocked him for spending his father's money. Topuria lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute and attempts 1.1 submissions per 15 minutes, making him a threat in multiple phases.
Elsewhere in the story, Merab Dvalishvili moved to clarify the regional dynamics among Caucasian and Central Asian fighters, stating he holds no animosity toward Dagestani competitors generally — only toward Umar Nurmagomedov specifically, framing their friction as healthy rivalry rather than broader conflict. Nurmagomedov, 30, holds a 20-1-0 record and sits second in the bantamweight rankings, landing an efficient 3.86 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy while averaging over four takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- A Tsarukyan-Topuria matchup would be a top-two lightweight collision with serious title implications
- Dvalishvili's comments add clarity to a tangled web of regional rivalries at 135 pounds, centering the tension squarely on Nurmagomedov
- Khamzat Chimaev, the top-ranked middleweight at 15-1-0, drew attention from Demetrious Johnson, who predicted a decisive win for "Borz" over Sean O'Malley; Chimaev averages 5.29 takedowns and 4.04 significant strikes per 15 minutes
- Benoit Saint-Denis signaled a fight with Paddy Pimblett through a social media post, while Bogdan Guskov turned down an offer to face Baranyevski
