Arman Tsarukyan stated he hopes Justin Gaethje misses weight so he can fight Ilia Topuria instead, vowing to knock him out of the UFC. Tsarukyan 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, whom he dislikes, emphasizing healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Topuria launched a harsh verbal attack on Tsarukyan, calling him stupid and saying he would break his jaw in the first round if they fought. Tsarukyan also discussed a potential bout with Alexander Volkanovski and outlined near-term prospects for Khamzat Chimaev. Demetrious Johnson predicted a confident victory for Chimaev over Sean O'Malley. Benoit Saint-Denis appeared to announce a fight with Paddy Pimblett by posting roast beef (an English dish) on social media, and Bogdan Guskov declined a bout with an opponent named Baranievski.
