Ilia Topuria expressed disappointment in Paddy Pimblett's recent performance against Gaethe, stating he knew Pimblett was a weak fighter but didn't realize the extent. Topuria confirmed that if he moves up to welterweight to fight Islam Makhachev, he will not be stripped of his lightweight title, as he plans to continue defending the 145-pound belt. Jiří Procházka revealed he still can't let go of his recent loss even after the birth of his child, claiming he was operating at 40-50% capacity after an injury and was waiting for the referee to stop the fight. Magomed Ankalaev, through his manager Abdel Aziz, called out Khalil Rountree, saying Rountree doesn't need to train wrestling with Chimaev and promising a 25-minute striking masterclass.
