Artem Vakhitov, who is the last person to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing and is currently helping Ciryl Gane prepare, stated in a recent interview that Pereira will lose because he has gained too much muscle mass. Meanwhile, Jiri Prochazka responded to accusations from Alexander Ulberg by saying he doesn't want to hear complaints about being fake from a stripper. Islam Makhachev confirmed he has started training camp for his next fight. Khamzat Chimaev explained why Sean Strickland's trash talk amuses rather than angers him, noting that Strickland's friends told him Sean was just promoting the fight and calling him fake. Colby Covington expressed frustration that UFC shows no interest in him, doesn't promote him, and hasn't included him in important events like a White House fight, though he still wants to compete and is open to giving his final years to RAF.
Artem Vakhitov, the last fighter to hand Alex Pereira a kickboxing defeat, went on record recently with a pointed prediction: Pereira will lose because he has added too much muscle mass to his frame. Vakhitov, who is currently working as a training partner helping Ciryl Gane prepare for his next assignment, made the comments in a recent interview.
Several other notable fighters made headlines in the same news cycle. Jiri Prochazka, the Czech Republic's second-ranked light heavyweight at 32-6-1, fired back at Alexander Ulberg after Ulberg accused him of being fake, telling the Norwegian he has no interest in taking complaints from a stripper. The six-foot-three, 203-centimeter-reach striker is one of the most aggressive finishers in the 205-pound division, averaging 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy.
Islam Makhachev, the welterweight champion who carries a 28-1-0 record and holds the number-one pound-for-pound ranking, confirmed publicly that he has begun his training camp ahead of his next fight. The 34-year-old Russian southpaw is one of the sport's most complete fighters, averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per fifteen minutes alongside 58 percent striking accuracy.
Khamzat Chimaev addressed the ongoing war of words with middleweight champion Sean Strickland, explaining that Strickland's trash talk makes him laugh rather than stirs any anger. Chimaev said Strickland's own friends told him Sean was simply promoting the fight and called him fake. Strickland, who holds a 31-7-0 record and averages 6.04 significant strikes per minute, is known for his unfiltered verbal style outside the cage.
Why it matters
- Vakhitov's muscle-mass critique comes from genuine first-hand experience against Pereira, giving it more weight than standard punditry
- Makhachev confirming a training camp signals a title defense is approaching for the welterweight division
- Prochazka's public spat with Ulberg adds heat to a light heavyweight landscape already crowded with contenders
- Covington's frustration over UFC promotion and his openness to fighting under the RAF banner raises questions about his future inside the organization
