Artur Vahitov, who is helping Cyril Gane prepare and is the last fighter to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing, made bold predictions about Pereira's upcoming heavyweight title fight. Vahitov stated that Pereira will lose because he has gained too much muscle mass. Meanwhile, Jiri Prochazka responded to accusations from Volkan Oezdemir, dismissing complaints from a "stripper." Islam Makhachev confirmed he started preparation for his next bout. Hamzat Chimaev addressed Sean Strickland's trash talk, comparing it to watching a clown at a circus and noting that Strickland told Chimaev's friends he was just promoting the fight. Colby Covington complained about UFC's lack of interest in promoting him and expressed willingness to fight in RAF.
Artur Vahitov, the last man to beat Alex Pereira in kickboxing and a current training partner of Cyril Gane, has gone on record predicting that Pereira will fall short in his upcoming heavyweight title challenge — blaming what he sees as excessive muscle gain as the reason the Brazilian will lose.
Vahitov's comments carry some weight given his history with Pereira. He is the only fighter to hand Pereira a defeat on the kickboxing circuit and is now embedded in Gane's camp, giving him a close-up view of the heavyweight division's landscape. His argument centers on the physical transformation Pereira has undergone moving up to heavyweight, suggesting the added muscle mass will work against him rather than in his favor.
Elsewhere, Czech light heavyweight contender Jiri Prochazka fired back at Switzerland's Volkan Oezdemir after the latter made public accusations against him. Prochazka, 33, carries a 32-6-1 record and sits ranked second in the light heavyweight division. He dismissed Oezdemir's complaints with a blunt insult, referring to the ninth-ranked Oezdemir — who holds a 21-8 record — as a "stripper." Prochazka is one of the sport's most aggressive strikers, averaging 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy and boasting an 80-inch reach.
Middleweight champion Sean Strickland, 35, also found himself in the news cycle. Hamzat Chimaev responded to trash talk from "Tarzan," brushing it off as entertainment rather than genuine animosity — comparing the experience to watching a clown at a circus. Chimaev added that Strickland privately told mutual friends the provocations were purely promotional. Strickland, who holds a 31-7 record and averages an elite 6.04 significant strikes per minute, is no stranger to using sharp words as a marketing tool.
Why it matters
- Vahitov's critique of Pereira adds credibility to concerns about the champion's physical approach at heavyweight
- The Prochazka-Oezdemir exchange signals a potential rivalry brewing in a light heavyweight division that remains unsettled behind the champion
- Chimaev's measured response to Strickland suggests a middleweight clash between the two could be closer to reality than either camp is officially letting on
