Ilia Topuria criticizes Paddy Pimblett, confirms he won't be stripped if moving up

Ilia Topuria expressed disappointment in Paddy Pimblett's performance against an unspecified opponent, saying he knew Pimblett was limited but didn't realize how much. Topuria also clarified that if he moves up to welterweight to fight Islam Makhachev, he will not be stripped of the featherweight title, as he plans to continue defending it. Additionally, Jiri Prochazka stated that he has not let go of his recent loss and felt he was only at 40-50 percent capacity due to injury, fighting in a sparring mode and hoping the referee would stop the bout. Magomed Ankalaev also called out Khamzat Chimaev, mocking his wrestling training and promising a striking masterclass. The UFC has announced several new matchups for hardcore fans, including a difficult opponent for Cory Sandhagen.