Kevin Holland stated he wants to avenge his losses but refuses any proposal to rematch Khamzat Chimaev. Brendan Allen, who previously claimed he would dominate Chimaev, visited his training camp for sparring sessions with results shown on video. Carlos Ulberg declared he wants to face Magomed Ankalaev in his first title defense. Paulo Costa moved up to seventh in the light heavyweight rankings and called out champion for a BMF belt fight. Sean O'Malley is having difficulty dealing with Jiri Prochazka's recent loss. A video was shared showing a college wrestling match between Bo Nickal and Josh Hockit, when Hockit was considerably leaner.
Kevin Holland made clear he has no interest in a rematch with Khamzat Chimaev, even as he expressed a desire to settle other scores on his record. Holland's stance came amid a flurry of light heavyweight and middleweight chatter that also saw Carlos Ulberg name his preferred opponent for a first title defense and Paulo Costa make a bold cross-divisional callout.
Ulberg, the new light heavyweight champion, wasted no time identifying a target, calling out second-ranked contender Magomed Ankalaev as the fight he wants for his maiden defense. Jiri Prochazka, who sits at number two in the division with a 32-6-1 record, has reportedly left Sean O'Malley unsettled following a recent loss, though the nature of O'Malley's reaction was not elaborated upon. Prochazka, the 33-year-old Czech southpaw out of Jetsaam Gym Brno, carries one of the most aggressive striking profiles in the sport at 5.69 significant strikes landed per minute with 55 percent accuracy and a reach of 80 inches.
In the middleweight picture, Brendan Allen paid a visit to Khamzat Chimaev's training camp for sparring, with video of the sessions circulating publicly. Allen, ranked fifth at middleweight with a 26-7-0 record, had previously claimed he would have no trouble with Chimaev. The 30-year-old American averages 1.56 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making him one of the more complete grapplers in the division.
Paulo Costa also stirred the pot, moving up to seventh in the light heavyweight rankings and calling out the champion for a BMF belt fight. Costa carries a 16-4-0 record and lands 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, the highest striking rate among the fighters mentioned here.
Why it matters
- Holland's refusal closes off one potential Chimaev booking and leaves his path forward unclear
- Ulberg targeting Ankalaev sets up a high-stakes first title defense at light heavyweight
- Costa's move to seventh at 205 pounds and his BMF callout adds cross-divisional intrigue
- Allen's sparring visit with Chimaev on camera raises questions about a potential future booking
