Jones backs Tsarukyan to beat Topuria after Gaethje's stunning upset

Jon Jones has thrown his weight behind Arman Tsarukyan, stating without hesitation that the Armenian lightweight would defeat Ilia Topuria if the two ever meet inside the octagon.

Jones made the call at an International Boxing Association card in Moscow, Russia, where he was joined by Tsarukyan, Petr Yan and Alexander Volkov. Asked to pick a winner between Tsarukyan and Topuria, Jones was unequivocal: “You already know, Arman all day.” Tsarukyan responded with a joke, saying he would have wrestled “Bones” had Jones chosen the other man.

The comments land in the immediate aftermath of a seismic result at UFC White House, where Justin Gaethje handed Topuria (17-1) the first professional loss of his career. Topuria entered the interim lightweight title fight as a heavy favourite, but Gaethje delivered a sustained beating that prompted Topuria’s corner to throw in the towel at the end of round four.

The fight between Tsarukyan (23-3) and Topuria has been a long time coming — and, for a period, looked like it might never happen at all. When Topuria moved up to lightweight, Tsarukyan was the logical opponent, but he had fallen out of the UFC’s favour after withdrawing from a scheduled title fight against Islam Makhachev. Topuria instead fought Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight belt and won it.

Tsarukyan subsequently lobbied for a title shot, but Topuria pivoted toward Paddy Pimblett as a preferred opponent. That avenue closed when Pimblett lost the interim title fight to Gaethje, leaving Tsarukyan still on the outside of the championship picture.

Now, with Topuria dethroned and carrying his first defeat, Tsarukyan himself has suggested the matchup has lost some of its lustre. Whether Jones’s public endorsement reignites interest in the bout — or simply adds noise to an already complicated lightweight division — remains to be seen.