Arman Tsarukyan stated he would like Justin Gaethje to lose so he could fight and "kick out" Ilia Topuria from the UFC, calling it his goal. The lightweight contender declared he won't stop until he has at least five title defenses in the UFC. Merab Dvalishvili clarified he has no issues with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomadov, whom he dislikes, while emphasizing that fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan are hardworking and maintain healthy competition. Topuria, who has updated his chest tattoo, called Tsarukyan extremely stupid and said if they meet in the octagon he will break his jaw in the first round. Benoit Saint-Denis announced a fight with Paddy Pimblett by posting a roast beef image on social media. Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with Baranyevski.
Arman Tsarukyan has made his ambitions clear, declaring he wants to see Justin Gaethje defeated so he can pursue a fight against Ilia Topuria — and ultimately force the Georgian-Spanish star out of the UFC entirely. The Armenian lightweight contender also set a personal benchmark, stating he will not stop competing until he has secured at least five title defenses in the promotion.
Gaethje, the current UFC lightweight champion, carries a 28-5 record and is regarded as one of the most aggressive fighters in the division. The 37-year-old American lands an eye-catching 6.48 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, making him one of the most prolific and precise strikers in the lightweight rankings.
Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and first in the pound-for-pound standings, holds a 17-1 record and fights out of Spain at 29 years old. The orthodox striker known as "El Matador" lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute and also contributes on the ground with nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes. Topuria responded sharply to Tsarukyan's comments, calling him extremely stupid and promising to break his jaw in the first round if they meet in the octagon.
Meanwhile, Merab Dvalishvili addressed regional tensions within MMA, stating he has no issues with fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, or Dagestan, drawing a specific distinction with Umar Nurmagomadov as the lone exception. He emphasized that athletes from those regions are hardworking and maintain healthy competitive relationships.
In a separate development, Benoit Saint-Denis announced a matchup with sixth-ranked lightweight Paddy Pimblett, doing so in characteristically unconventional fashion by posting a roast beef image on social media. Pimblett, 31, fights out of Liverpool with a 23-4 record and lands 5.49 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy, also carrying a submission game with 1.2 attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's callout of Topuria sets up a potential all-Georgian rivalry at the top of the lightweight division
- A Gaethje loss could reshape the title picture and accelerate a Tsarukyan-Topuria collision
- Saint-Denis vs. Pimblett pits two entertaining strikers against each other inside the top ten at 155 pounds
