Topuria criticizes Pimblett's performance, plans lightweight defenses if moving up

Ilia Topuria expressed disappointment with Paddy Pimblett's showing against Gaethje, stating he knew Pimblett was a poor fighter but did not realize the extent. Topuria revealed that if he moves up to welterweight to face Islam Makhachev, he will not be stripped of the lightweight title, as he plans to defend that belt. Jiri Prochazka remains haunted by his recent loss even after the birth of his child, saying he was at 40-50% power due to injury and fought in sparring mode while waiting for the referee to stop the bout. Magomed Ankalaev (via Abdelaziz) called out Khalil Rountree, promising a 25-minute striking masterclass if Rountree can last that long. UFC announced multiple new fight bookings for hardcore fans, including a challenging matchup for Cory Sandhagen against Bautista instead of O'Malley.