Topuria says he can submit Makhachev; Ankalaev calls out Rountree

Ilia Topuria expressed disappointment in Paddy Pimblett's performance against Gaethje and stated he was aware Pimblett was not a strong fighter but did not realize how poor his skills were. Topuria also 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 it. Jiri Prochazka revealed he cannot let go of his recent loss even after the birth of his child, saying he was operating at 40-50 percent due to injury and was waiting for the referee to stop the fight. Magomed Ankalaev, through his manager Abdel Aziz, called out Khalil Rountree, telling him he does not need the wrestling training he has been doing with Khamzat Chimaev and promising a 25-minute striking masterclass. The UFC announced several new matchups for hardcore fans, including a difficult assignment for Cory Sandhagen against Batista instead of O'Malley.