Sean Strickland reportedly told Francis Ngannou he would see the reason for carrying a gun in the mirror. Meanwhile, Carlos Prates and Jack Della Maddalena had their first face-off, with observers noting Prates appeared massive despite competing at welterweight. Arman Tsarukyan revealed that UFC recently sent him an unexpected $42,000 bonus, speculating it might be related to his social media activity. Shamil Gaziev weighed around 140kg recently, well above the 120kg heavyweight limit, with a fight scheduled in Australia where recovery time is significantly shortened.
Sean Strickland stirred fresh controversy ahead of an upcoming event when the middleweight champion reportedly directed a pointed remark at Francis Ngannou, telling him he would find the reason for carrying a gun when he looked in the mirror. Separately, Carlos Prates and Jack Della Maddalena squared off for the first time at the weigh-in, while Shamil Gaziev's weight disclosure raised eyebrows ahead of his fight in Australia.
Strickland, 35, holds a 31-7-0 record and currently stands as the middleweight champion representing Xtreme Couture out of the United States. The six-foot-one, 193 cm fighter carries a 76-inch reach and is one of the busiest strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy.
Jack Della Maddalena enters his weigh-in matchup with Prates as the fourth-ranked welterweight and the thirteenth-ranked fighter pound-for-pound. The 29-year-old Australian trains out of Scrappy MMA, stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach, and carries an 18-4-0 record. He lands 5.57 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 51 percent accuracy. Observers noted that Prates looked physically imposing at the face-off despite competing in the same 170-pound welterweight division.
Elsewhere, Shamil Gaziev disclosed that he has been weighing approximately 140 kilograms, well above the 120-kilogram heavyweight limit, ahead of a scheduled fight in Australia where recovery protocols between the weigh-in and fight day are notably compressed. The 36-year-old ranked eleventh at heavyweight, carrying a 14-3-0 record for KHK MMA out of Bahrain. The six-foot-four, 193 cm fighter has a 47 percent striking accuracy, and the weight gap he would need to cut raises legitimate questions about his preparation timeline.
Also making news, Arman Tsarukyan revealed that the UFC unexpectedly sent him a $42,000 bonus, with Tsarukyan speculating the payment may have been connected to his social media activity.
Why it matters
- Strickland's comments add another chapter to his ongoing public persona as champion, keeping attention on the middleweight division
- The Prates-Della Maddalena face-off signals a high-stakes welterweight matchup with top-five divisional ranking implications for Della Maddalena
- Gaziev's reported weight of 140 kg against a 120 kg limit in a shortened-recovery jurisdiction is a significant logistical concern
