Topuria says he won't be stripped if he moves up to face Islam

Ilia Topuria has revealed that he would not be stripped of the featherweight title if he moves up to welterweight to face Islam Makhachev, as he plans to continue defending the 155-pound belt. Topuria expressed disappointment in Paddy Pimblett's performance against Justin Gaethje, saying he knew Pimblett was a poor fighter but didn't realize how bad. Meanwhile, Jiri Prochazka stated he cannot 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 fought in 'sparring mode' while waiting for the referee to stop the bout. Magomed Ankalaev, through his manager Abdelaziz, called out Khalil Rountree, promising a 25-minute striking masterclass. The UFC also announced several new matchups, including a challenging fight for Cory Sandhagen against Batista instead of O'Malley.