After Ilia Topuria claimed that he slapped Arman Tsarukyan last night in Doha, the lightweight contender took to social media to dispute the claim. He says it was a much more friendly interaction, insisting that the champion is just trash talking for social media.

New UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria won the title with a dramatic knockout over Charles Oliveira in June, but hasn’t fought since then. Rumors are swirling that Topuria could be part of the UFC’s plans to launch a new broadcast deal with Paramount at the start of 2026, which means his first defense could come as early as January.