Kevin Holland stated he always wants to avenge his losses except against Chimaev, emphatically refusing that rematch. Brendan Allen, who 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 moved up to seventh 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 of a college wrestling match between Bo Nickal and Josh Hockett, showing a much slimmer Hockett from his earlier days.
Kevin Holland, Brendan Allen, Carlos Ulberg, and Paulo Costa all made headlines this week with statements and developments that are reshaping conversations across multiple divisions.
Holland made clear he is open to avenging nearly any loss on his record — but not the one against Khamzat Chimaev. The welterweight and middleweight veteran emphatically shut down any talk of a rematch with the undefeated Chechen-Swedish contender, drawing a firm line that separates Chimaev from every other opponent on his resume.
The Chimaev storyline thickened when footage emerged of Brendan Allen visiting Chimaev's training camp for sparring sessions. Allen, who had previously stated he would destroy Chimaev, showed up and put that confidence to the test in the gym. The fifth-ranked middleweight carries a 26-7 record and is one of the division's more complete fighters at 30 years old, averaging 1.56 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Video of the sparring was shared publicly, though the full context and outcome remain open to interpretation.
Carlos Ulberg separately announced he is targeting Magomed Ankalaev for his first light heavyweight title defense, a matchup that would pit him against the division's number-two ranked contender. Ankalaev's teammate Jiri Prochazka, ranked second at light heavyweight with a 32-6-1 record, has been a topic of conversation for a different reason — Sean O'Malley reportedly expressed that he is struggling emotionally with Prochazka's recent loss.
Paulo Costa, meanwhile, has moved up to seventh in the light heavyweight rankings despite competing at middleweight, and the Brazilian — who averages 6.26 significant strikes per minute with 58 percent accuracy — called out Josh Hockett for a BMF title fight. Separately, old college wrestling footage surfaced of Bo Nickal facing a noticeably slimmer, younger Hockett from his amateur days.
Why it matters
- Holland's refusal of the Chimaev rematch closes off a high-profile middleweight matchup and may redirect both fighters toward other contenders
- Allen's sparring visit to Chimaev's camp adds a layer of competitive intrigue given his public declarations
- Ulberg targeting Ankalaev would set up a significant first title defense with major divisional implications
