Ilia Topuria expressed disappointment in Paddy Pimblett's fight against Justin Gaethje, stating he knew Pimblett was a poor fighter but didn't realize how much. Topuria revealed that if he moves up to welterweight to fight Islam Makhachev, he won't be stripped of his lightweight title as he plans to defend the 155-pound belt. Jiri Prochazka discussed his recent loss, saying he was operating at 40-50% capacity after injury and fought in sparring mode while waiting for the referee to stop the bout. Magomed Ankalaev, through manager Ali Abdelaziz, challenged Khalil Rountree to a striking masterclass, suggesting Rountree's wrestling training with Khamzat Chimaev is unnecessary. The UFC announced several matchups appealing to hardcore fans, including pairing Cory Sandhagen with Marlon Vera instead of Sean O'Malley.
