A daily news digest covering multiple MMA stories. Sean Strickland made comments about Francis Ngannou regarding carrying weapons. Carlos Prates and Jack Maddalena had their first face-off, with Prates appearing significantly larger, raising questions about his weight cut to 170 lbs given his size and lack of dietary discipline. Shamil Gaziev weighed around 140 kg yesterday despite his limit being 120 kg, with concerns about recovery time in Australia being half the usual. Arman Tsarukyan revealed UFC recently sent him an unexpected $42,000 bonus, possibly for social media work, though he wasn't told the specific reason. Tsarukyan joked about not asking for details so his manager wouldn't request a percentage.
Carlos Prates and Jack Della Maddalena came face to face for the first time ahead of their welterweight matchup, and the size difference between the two men immediately became a talking point. Prates appeared noticeably larger than Maddalena, fueling questions about how much the Brazilian is cutting to reach the 170-pound limit and whether his reported lack of dietary discipline could complicate that process.
Della Maddalena enters the bout ranked fourth in the welterweight division and thirteenth in the pound-for-pound standings, carrying an 18-4 record at 29 years old. The Australian standout from Scrappy MMA is an aggressive striker who lands 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy, one of the sharper outputs in the division. At five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach, he is giving up considerable size to his opponent.
Elsewhere in the day's news, heavyweight contender Shamil Gaziev drew attention after reports surfaced that he weighed approximately 140 kilograms — well above his training camp target of 120 kilograms. The 36-year-old ranked eleventh at heavyweight, representing Bahrain out of KHK MMA, is reportedly preparing for a fight in Australia, where recovery time between the weigh-in and fight night is said to be roughly half of what fighters typically receive. At six-foot-four and with a 78-inch reach, Gaziev already operates as a naturally large heavyweight, making the weight management situation one to watch.
Middleweight champion Sean Strickland also generated conversation after making public comments about Francis Ngannou related to carrying weapons. The 35-year-old American, who holds a 31-7 record and trains out of Xtreme Couture, did not elaborate beyond the reported remarks.
Why it matters
- Prates's size and weight cut habits could be a significant factor in the lead-up to his welterweight bout with Della Maddalena
- Gaziev's pre-camp weight and the compressed recovery window in Australia raise legitimate concerns for his heavyweight preparation
- Tsarukyan revealed the UFC sent him an unexpected $42,000 bonus, possibly tied to social media activity, though he joked about not pressing for details to avoid his manager claiming a cut
