Ilia Topuria expressed disappointment with Paddy Pimblett's recent fight against Gage, saying he knew Pimblett was a poor fighter but didn't realize the extent. Topuria also revealed plans to move up to welterweight to fight Islam Makhachev while retaining his lightweight title, stating he intends to defend the 155-pound belt. Meanwhile, Jiri Prochazka cannot let go of his recent loss even after the birth of his child, claiming he was operating at only 40-50% power after an injury and was in sparring mode waiting for the referee to intervene. Magomed Ankalaev, through manager Abdel Aziz, called out Khalil Rountree, suggesting Rountree doesn't need the wrestling training he's been doing with Khamzat Chimaev and promising to deliver a 25-minute striking masterclass.
Ilia Topuria used a recent media appearance to take aim at Paddy Pimblett's performance against Tony Ferguson while also laying out his ambitions for a cross-divisional superfight with Islam Makhachev.
Topuria, who holds a 17-1-0 record and sits at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings, was blunt in his assessment of Pimblett. The 29-year-old Spanish lightweight said he already knew Pimblett was a limited fighter but admitted the full extent of those limitations caught him off guard. Topuria currently ranks second in the lightweight division and has averaged 4.81 significant strikes per minute throughout his career, finishing fights at a high rate on the way to his title.
The Georgian-born Spaniard also outlined a plan to move up to welterweight and challenge Islam Makhachev for his title while simultaneously defending the 155-pound belt. Makhachev, 34, holds welterweight gold and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings with a 28-1-0 record. The Russian southpaw is one of the sport's most complete competitors, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing strikes at 58 percent accuracy.
Elsewhere, light heavyweight contender Jiri Prochazka addressed his most recent loss, saying the defeat still weighs on him despite the recent birth of his child. The Czech fighter, ranked second at 205 pounds with a 32-6-1 record, claimed he was functioning at only 40 to 50 percent capacity due to injury and described himself as being in a sparring mindset while waiting for a stoppage that never came. At six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach, Prochazka is one of the division's most dangerous strikers, averaging 5.69 significant strikes per minute.
In the light heavyweight division, Magomed Ankalaev, through manager Abdel Aziz, publicly called out Khalil Rountree. Ankalaev's camp dismissed the wrestling work Rountree has been doing alongside Khamzat Chimaev as unnecessary, with Aziz promising that Ankalaev would deliver a striking-dominant performance across all 25 minutes if the two were matched.
Why it matters
- Topuria targeting Makhachev would create a rare two-belt superfight across lightweight and welterweight
- A Prochazka return could shake up the crowded light heavyweight top five, where he sits at number two
- An Ankalaev-Rountree matchup would carry significant title contender implications at 205 pounds
