Artem Vakhitov, the last person to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing and now assisting Ciryl Gane in training, stated in a recent interview that Pereira will lose because he has gained too much mass. Meanwhile, Jiri Prochazka responded to accusations from Alexander Ulberg, saying he doesn't want to hear claims of being "fake" from a stripper. Islam Makhachev confirmed he has begun training camp for his next fight. Hamzat Chimaev addressed Sean Strickland's trash talk with composure, explaining that he finds it amusing rather than angering because Strickland's friends told him Sean admits he's just promoting the fight, and Hamzat dislikes fake people. Colby Covington complained that the UFC shows no interest in him, doesn't promote him, and hasn't included him in important events like the White House fight card, though he still wants to compete and is open to spending his final years fighting in RAF.
Artem Vakhitov, the last fighter to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing and currently a training partner working alongside Ciryl Gane's camp, has publicly predicted that Pereira will suffer a loss inside the octagon as a consequence of gaining too much body mass. Vakhitov offered the assessment in a recent interview, arguing the added weight will ultimately work against the reigning champion.
Elsewhere in the news cycle, light heavyweight contender Jiri Prochazka fired back at Alexander Ulberg, who had accused the Czech fighter of being fake. Prochazka, ranked second at 185 pounds with a 32-6-1 record, dismissed the criticism sharply, telling Ulberg he does not want to hear accusations of inauthenticity from someone who worked as a stripper. The six-foot-three, 191-centimeter veteran lands 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, numbers that speak to a relentless and direct style.
Islam Makhachev, the current welterweight champion and the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport according to the AgentMMA rankings, confirmed he has entered training camp for his next bout. The 34-year-old Russian carries a 28-1 record and remains one of the most complete grapplers in the division, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 1.1 submission attempts in the same window.
Hamzat Chimaev addressed ongoing trash talk from middleweight champion Sean Strickland, taking a measured tone. Chimaev explained that he finds Strickland's comments more amusing than offensive, citing word from Strickland's own circle that Sean acknowledges the trash talk is purely promotional. Chimaev added that what truly bothers him is insincerity, placing the commentary in that category. Strickland, a 35-year-old American carrying a 31-7 record, averages over six significant strikes per minute and holds the middleweight title out of Xtreme Couture.
Finally, Colby Covington voiced frustration with the UFC's promotional direction, claiming the organization has shown little interest in booking him for major events, including a recent White House fight card. Covington stated he remains active and willing to compete, including a potential stint finishing his career in the RAF promotion.
