Topuria criticizes Pimblett, says he plans to defend lightweight title if moving up

Ilia Topuria expressed disappointment in Paddy Pimblett's recent performance against Gaethje, stating he knew Pimblett was not a strong fighter but underestimated the extent. Topuria clarified 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 that belt. Meanwhile, Jiri Prochazka revealed he has struggled to move past his recent loss even after the birth of his child, claiming he was operating at only 40-50% capacity due to injury and was waiting for the referee to stop the fight. Magomed Ankalaev, through Abdelaziz, called out Khalil Rountree, saying he wants to give him a 25-minute striking masterclass if Rountree can last that long, noting that Rountree's wrestling training with Khamzat Chimaev is unnecessary. The UFC also announced several matchups appealing to hardcore fans, including a challenging opponent for Cory Sandhagen in the form of Bautista instead of O'Malley.