Arman Tsarukyan stated he wants Justin Gaethje to miss weight so he could fight Ilia Topuria instead, with the goal of removing Topuria from the UFC. Tsarukyan declared he won't stop until he has at least five UFC title defenses. Merab Dvalishvili clarified he has no issues with Dagestani fighters except Umar Nurmagomadov, emphasizing healthy competition among fighters from Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Ilia Topuria, who recently updated his chest tattoo, launched a harsh verbal attack on Tsarukyan, calling him unintelligent and saying he would break his jaw in the first round if they fought. Topuria also criticized Tsarukyan for spending his father's money rather than his own earnings. Tsarukyan discussed a potential fight with Alexander Volkanovski and outlined future prospects for Khamzat Chimaev. Demetrious Johnson predicted a confident victory for Chimaev over Sean Strickland, while Benoit Saint-Denis hinted at a fight with Paddy Pimblett by posting roast beef (an English dish) on social media. Bogdan Guskov declined a fight with an opponent.
