Topuria criticizes Pimblett performance, says he won't be stripped if moving up

Ilia Topuria expressed disappointment with Paddy Pimblett's recent performance against Dustin Gaethje, stating he knew Pimblett was a weak fighter but didn't realize how much. Topuria also clarified his plans regarding a potential move to welterweight to fight Islam Makhachev, stating he would not be stripped of his lightweight title as he intends to continue defending the 155-pound belt. Jiri Prochazka revealed he's still consumed by his recent loss even after the birth of his child, saying he was operating at 40-50% capacity due to injury and was in sparring mode, waiting for the referee to stop the fight. Magomed Ankalaev, through manager Abdelaziz, called out Khalil Rountree, offering to give him a 25-minute striking masterclass if Rountree can last that long, noting Rountree's recent wrestling training with Khamzat Chimaev won't be necessary. The UFC announced several new matchups appealing to hardcore fans, including pairing Cory Sandhagen with Jonathan Bautista instead of Sean O'Malley.