Topuria says he can submit Makhachev, won't be stripped at 145

A news digest reports several stories: Ilia Topuria expressed disappointment in Paddy Pimblett's performance against Justin Gaethje, saying he knew Pimblett was a poor fighter but not to that extent. Topuria also stated that if he moves up to welterweight to fight Islam Makhachev, he will not be stripped of his featherweight title because he plans to continue defending at 145 pounds. Jiri Prochazka revealed he was only at 40-50 percent capacity after his injury, fighting in sparring mode and waiting for the referee to stop the bout. Magomed Ankalaev challenged Khalil Rountree, offering a striking masterclass. The UFC announced several matchups for hardcore fans and gave Cory Sandhagen a difficult opponent in Batista instead of O'Malley.