Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants Justin Gaethje to drop out so he can fight Ilia Topuria and "throw him out of the UFC," calling it his goal. He also said he will only stop when 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 one person, while noting that fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan are all hardworking and friends, engaging in healthy competition. A heavily tattooed Topuria responded harshly to Tsarukyan, calling him extremely stupid and saying if they meet in the octagon, he will break his jaw in the first round. Tsarukyan discussed a potential Volkanovski fight and outlined prospects for Khamzat Chimaev. Demetrious Johnson predicted a confident Chimaev victory over Sean Strickland, while Benoit Saint-Denis announced a fight with Pimblett by posting a picture of roast beef on social media. Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with Baranyevski.
Arman Tsarukyan has made his intentions clear, publicly stating he wants Justin Gaethje to step aside so he can fight Ilia Topuria and, in his words, "throw him out of the UFC." The Armenian lightweight also declared he will not stop competing until he has secured at least five UFC title defenses.
Topuria, the number-two ranked lightweight and current pound-for-pound top fighter in the world at just 29 years old, did not take the callout lightly. The Spain-based fighter, who carries a 17-1 record and lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute with 48 percent accuracy, fired back sharply, calling Tsarukyan extremely stupid and promising to break his jaw in the first round if the two ever share the octagon.
Tsarukyan also touched on a potential future matchup with Alexander Volkanovski and offered his thoughts on Khamzat Chimaev's prospects going forward.
On a separate front, Merab Dvalishvili addressed questions about Dagestani fighters, drawing a clear line between personal and professional. He stressed that fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan are all hardworking and maintain friendly relationships built on healthy competition. His only exception is Umar Nurmagomedov, the 30-year-old Russian bantamweight ranked second in the division with a 20-1 record and a punishing 4.03 takedowns per 15 minutes — Dvalishvili simply said he does not like him, without elaborating further.
Why it matters
- A Tsarukyan versus Topuria fight would pit two of the lightweight division's most dangerous contenders against each other, with the title picture directly at stake.
- Dvalishvili's comments on Nurmagomedov add an edge to a potential bantamweight clash between two elite grapplers.
- Demetrious Johnson predicted a confident Chimaev victory over middleweight champion Sean Strickland, whose 31-7 record and high-output striking style at 6.04 significant strikes per minute could face a stern test.
- Benoit Saint-Denis confirmed a fight with Paddy Pimblett through a social media post, adding another high-profile lightweight bout to the upcoming calendar.
