Kevin Holland stated he wants to avenge his losses but firmly refuses a rematch with Khamzat Chimaev. Brendan Allen, who had previously claimed he would destroy Chimaev, visited Chimaev's training camp for sparring sessions with results shown on video. Carlos Ulberg announced he wants to face Magomed Ankalaev in his first title defense. Paulo Costa, who moved up to 7th in the light heavyweight rankings, called out Josh Hokit for a BMF belt fight. Sean O'Malley is having difficulty dealing with Jiri Prochazka's recent loss, and footage emerged of a college wrestling match between Bo Nickal and Josh Hokit showing a much slimmer version of Hokit.
Kevin Holland made clear he has no interest in a rematch with Khamzat Chimaev, even as Holland expressed a desire to settle other scores on his record. The comments came amid a wave of middleweight news that also involved Brendan Allen, Paulo Costa, Carlos Ulberg, and Sean O'Malley.
Holland's stance is notable given the attention surrounding Chimaev's camp, where Allen was recently filmed taking part in sparring sessions. Allen, ranked fifth in the middleweight division at 30 years old, had previously gone on record claiming he would dismantle Chimaev. The visit to Chimaev's gym and the footage that emerged from it put those words in a different light. The American, who fights out of Kill Cliff FC, carries a 26-7 record and brings a well-rounded game to the mat, averaging 1.56 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Paulo Costa, fighting out of Brazil and now ranked 13th at light heavyweight after moving up from middleweight, used the moment to call out Josh Hokit for a BMF belt fight. Costa carries a 16-4 record and one of the sharper striking profiles in either division, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. Adding to the Hokit conversation, old footage surfaced of a college wrestling match featuring Bo Nickal against a noticeably slimmer version of Hokit.
Carlos Ulberg announced he intends to make Magomed Ankalaev his first challenger in a light heavyweight title defense, setting up what would be a significant test at the top of the division.
Meanwhile, Sean O'Malley has reportedly been struggling to come to terms with Jiri Prochazka's most recent loss. Prochazka, the second-ranked light heavyweight at 33 years old, holds a 32-6-1 record and lands 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy for the Czech Republic-based Jetsaam Gym Brno.
Why it matters
- Holland's refusal narrows the welterweight and middleweight contender picture around Chimaev
- Allen's camp visit adds a new dimension to his rivalry with Chimaev ahead of any potential booking
- Costa's move to light heavyweight at 13th in the rankings signals genuine divisional ambition
- Ulberg targeting Ankalaev would immediately set a high bar for his first title defense
