Strickland jokes about carrying weapon, Gaziev weighs 140kg weeks before fight

A news roundup covers several MMA stories. Sean Strickland joked that when Francis Ngannou asked why he carries a weapon, he told him to look in a mirror. Carlos Prates and Jack Maddalena faced off for the first time, with Prates appearing significantly larger, raising questions about his weight cut to 170 pounds. Shamil Gaziev weighed approximately 140 kilograms recently despite fighting at 120kg and competing in Australia where recovery time is limited. Arman Tsarukyan revealed the UFC recently sent him an unexpected $42,000 bonus, possibly related to his social media work, though he didn't ask for details to avoid his manager claiming a percentage. The post also featured first staredown footage between Prates and Maddalena.