Artem Vakhitov, who is helping Ciryl Gane prepare and was the last person to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing, has made a bold prediction about Pereira's upcoming fight. In a recent interview, Vakhitov stated that Pereira will lose because he has gained too much muscle mass. Meanwhile, Jiri Prochazka responded to accusations from Alexander Ulberg by dismissing criticism from a "stripper." The post also briefly mentions that Islam Makhachev confirmed he has started preparation for his next bout, and that Khamzat Chimaev responded calmly to trash talk from Sean Strickland, comparing him to a circus clown.
Artem Vakhitov, the kickboxer who handed Alex Pereira one of his career losses and is currently assisting Ciryl Gane in fight camp, has gone on record predicting that Pereira will be defeated in his next outing — pointing to excessive muscle gain as the reason for his expected decline.
Vakhitov made the comments in a recent interview, arguing that Pereira has added too much muscle mass to his frame, which he believes will work against the reigning light heavyweight champion when it matters most. The prediction carries some weight given Vakhitov's history with Pereira, making him one of the few fighters with a credible firsthand perspective on how the Brazilian performs under physical stress.
Elsewhere in the light heavyweight division, number-two ranked Jiri Prochazka fired back at Alexander Ulberg after Ulberg leveled criticism at the Czech fighter. The 33-year-old from Brno, who carries a 32-6-1 record and one of the most aggressive output rates in the division at 5.69 significant strikes landed per minute, dismissed Ulberg's remarks by comparing him to a stripper — making clear he has little regard for the challenger's commentary.
On the welterweight side, Islam Makhachev confirmed he has begun preparations for his next fight. The 34-year-old Russian champion holds a 28-1-0 record, leads all champions in takedown volume at 3.2 per 15 minutes, and carries a striking accuracy of 58 percent — numbers that underline why his return to action will be one of the most anticipated bouts on any future card.
Finally, middleweight champion Sean Strickland responded to trash talk from Sean Strickland — rather, Khamzat Chimaev directed words at Strickland, and the 31-7 Tarzan answered calmly, likening Chimaev to a circus clown. Strickland, who lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute and owns the middleweight title, appears unbothered by the exchange.
Why it matters
- Vakhitov's critique of Pereira comes from inside a rival camp, adding competitive weight to the prediction
- Prochazka's public spat with Ulberg signals rising tension at the top of the light heavyweight rankings
- Makhachev confirming camp has begun puts the welterweight and pound-for-pound picture on notice
