Ilia Topuria revealed that if he moves up to welterweight to fight Islam Makhachev, he will not be stripped of his lightweight title because he plans to continue defending the 155-pound belt. Topuria also expressed disappointment in Paddy Pimblett's performance against Justin Gaethje, stating he knew Paddy was poor but didn't realize how bad. Meanwhile, Jiri Prochazka disclosed he was operating at only 40-50 percent capacity in his recent loss due to injury and expected the referee to stop the fight. Magomed Ankalaev, through his manager Abdelaziz, challenged Khalil Rountree to a standup striking masterclass, suggesting Rountree's wrestling training with Khamzat Chimaev is unnecessary. The UFC also announced several new matchups that present challenges for top contenders.
