Kevin Holland stated he wants to avenge his losses but made clear he has no interest in a rematch with Khamzat Chimaev. Brendan Allen, who previously claimed he would dominate Chimaev, traveled to his training camp for sparring sessions, with video showing the results. Carlos Ulberg declared he wants to face Magomed Ankalaev in his first title defense. Paulo Costa rose to number seven in the light heavyweight rankings and called out Josh Hockett for a BMF title fight. Sean O'Malley is having difficulty dealing with Jiri Prochazka's loss. Video surfaced showing a college wrestling match between Bo Nickal and Josh Hockett, with Hockett appearing much leaner at that time.
Kevin Holland made headlines this week by publicly ruling out a rematch with Khamzat Chimaev, even as he acknowledged a desire to settle other scores from his fighting career. Holland was unequivocal that Chimaev is not a fight he wants to revisit.
Brendan Allen, the fifth-ranked middleweight, had previously insisted he would dominate Chimaev if given the chance. Allen then traveled to Chimaev's training camp for sparring sessions, and video circulating online appears to show how those rounds played out. The 30-year-old American, who competes out of Kill Cliff FC and carries a 26-7 record, has built his reputation on a well-rounded game backed by strong grappling numbers — 1.56 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
At light heavyweight, New Zealand's Carlos Ulberg stated he wants Magomed Ankalaev as the opponent for his first title defense. Meanwhile, Brazilian striker Paulo Costa climbed to number seven in the light heavyweight rankings — a division above his current middleweight home — and called out Josh Hockett for a BMF title fight. Costa carries a 16-4 record and lands an impressive 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. Separately, Sean O'Malley has been publicly vocal about struggling to process the recent loss suffered by Jiri Prochazka, the second-ranked light heavyweight from the Czech Republic who holds a 32-6-1 record.
Adding an unusual footnote to the Hockett conversation, video emerged showing a college wrestling match between Bo Nickal and Hockett, with Hockett appearing notably leaner than he does today as a professional fighter.
Why it matters
- Holland's refusal to fight Chimaev narrows the pool of willing middleweight opponents for one of the division's most dangerous contenders.
- Allen's sparring trip to Chimaev's camp could reshape how seriously his earlier callout is taken inside the sport.
- Ulberg targeting Ankalaev sets a potential direction for the light heavyweight title picture, while Costa's move to call out Hockett signals he may be eyeing an opportunistic cross-divisional showcase.
