Artem Vakhitov, who is helping Ciryl Gane with training and was the last person to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing, stated in a recent interview that Pereira will lose because he has gained too much muscle mass. Meanwhile, Jiri Prochazka responded to criticism from Ulberg by saying he doesn't want to hear complaints about being fake from a stripper. Islam Makhachev confirmed he has begun training camp for his next fight. Hamzat Chimaev commented on Sean Strickland's trash talk, comparing it to being entertained by a clown at a circus rather than getting angry, noting that Strickland's friends approached him and he immediately backed down, saying he was just promoting the fight. Colby Covington complained that the UFC shows no interest in him and doesn't promote him or put him on important events like fights at the White House, though he still wants to fight and is ready to dedicate his remaining competitive years to performing in RAF.
Artem Vakhitov, the kickboxer who handed Alex Pereira his last professional loss under kickboxing rules and is currently assisting Ciryl Gane's training camp, has publicly predicted that Pereira will be defeated in MMA due to excessive muscle gain. Speaking in a recent interview, Vakhitov argued that Pereira's body composition has shifted too far toward added mass, which he believes will ultimately work against the light heavyweight champion.
Jiri Prochazka, ranked second in the light heavyweight division at 33 years old, fired back at criticism directed his way from Carlos Ulberg. The Czech fighter, who carries a 32-6-1 record and trains out of Jetsaam Gym Brno, dismissed Ulberg's accusations of inauthenticity with a blunt remark comparing him to a stripper in no position to talk about being fake.
Islam Makhachev, the reigning welterweight champion and the top pound-for-pound fighter in the database, confirmed he has entered training camp ahead of his next fight. The 34-year-old Russian holds a 28-1 record and is one of the sport's most dominant grapplers, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes with a striking accuracy of 58 percent.
Hamzat Chimaev weighed in on the ongoing friction with Sean Strickland, taking a notably relaxed tone. Chimaev compared Strickland's trash talk to watching a circus clown perform, adding that when Strickland's associates approached him directly, the middleweight champion quickly walked back his comments and framed them as fight promotion. Strickland, 35, holds a 31-7 record and lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute out of Xtreme Couture.
Why it matters
- Vakhitov's comments carry weight given his history as Pereira's last kickboxing conqueror and his current role in Gane's camp
- Prochazka and Makhachev's activity signals both men are engaged and building toward future bouts
- The Chimaev-Strickland dynamic adds tension to the middleweight division without either man having formally called for a matchup
