Ilia Topuria stated that if he moves up to welterweight to face Islam Makhachev, he will not be stripped of his featherweight title, as he plans to continue defending the lightweight belt. He also expressed disappointment in Paddy Pimblett's performance against Gage, saying he knew Pimblett was a poor fighter but didn't realize how bad. Jiri Prochazka revealed he hasn't been able to move past his recent loss even after the birth of his child, claiming he was at 40-50% capacity after his injury and was fighting in sparring mode, waiting for the referee to stop the bout. Magomed Ankalaev's coach Abdel Aziz issued a callout to Khalil Rountree, saying Ankalaev wants to give him a 25-minute striking masterclass if Rountree can last that long. The UFC also announced several matchups that will complicate Cory Sandhagen's path, pairing him with Deiveson Figueiredo instead of Sean O'Malley.
Ilia Topuria has addressed concerns about his featherweight title status, insisting he would not be stripped of the belt if he moves up to welterweight to challenge Islam Makhachev, as he intends to keep defending the featherweight championship alongside any lightweight campaign.
Topuria, 29, carries a 17-1-0 record and currently sits at number two in the lightweight division while holding the number one pound-for-pound ranking. The Spanish fighter out of Climent Club stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach and lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at a 48 percent accuracy rate. He also averaged 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes, underscoring a well-rounded skill set heading into what would be a massive step up in competition. Topuria also took the opportunity to criticize Paddy Pimblett's recent performance against Gage, saying he always viewed Pimblett as a limited fighter but was surprised by the extent of it.
Makhachev, the welterweight champion and the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, owns a 28-1-0 record and fights out of Eagles MMA. The 34-year-old Russian is a southpaw standing five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach. He averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts in the same span, making him one of the most complete grapplers in the sport. His 58 percent striking accuracy adds another layer of danger.
Elsewhere in the news, Jiri Prochazka opened up about his mental state following his most recent loss, revealing that even the birth of his child has not helped him move on. The Czech light heavyweight, ranked second in his division at 32-6-1, said he was operating at just 40 to 50 percent capacity due to injury and described his approach inside the cage as closer to sparring than competing, waiting for a referee stoppage rather than fighting to finish.
Why it matters
- A Topuria move to welterweight would create title picture complexity across two divisions simultaneously
- Makhachev's elite grappling presents a stylistic puzzle that no fighter has cleanly solved at the championship level
- Prochazka's candid admission about his condition raises questions about where the two-time light heavyweight contender goes from here
