Artem Vahitov, who is helping Ciryl Gane prepare 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. In other news, Jiri Prochazka responded to accusations from Ulberg by dismissing complaints from "a stripper." Carlos Prates and his daughter had a face-off with Maddalena, with Carlos clarifying to his daughter who the bad guy is. Islam Makhachev confirmed he has started preparation for his next fight. Khamzat Chimaev showed awareness when asked about Sean Strickland's trash talk, comparing it to going to the circus and noting that Strickland's friends said he was just promoting the fight. Colby Covington complained that UFC shows no interest in him and doesn't promote him at important events like the White House fight, while expressing readiness to fight in RAF.
Artem Vahitov, the kickboxer who handed Alex Pereira his most recent defeat in the striking arts, has gone on record predicting that Pereira will lose his next fight because of the excessive muscle mass he has added to his frame. Vahitov made the comments in a recent interview while working as part of Ciryl Gane's training camp.
Elsewhere in a busy week of fighter media, Czech light heavyweight Jiri Prochazka addressed accusations leveled at him by Modestas Bukauskas's camp and specifically by Da-un Jung rival Volkan Oezdemir — but it was remarks from Ezra Ulberg that drew a sharp response. The ranked number-two contender at 205 pounds, who carries a 32-6-1 record and lands an eye-catching 5.69 significant strikes per minute, dismissed Ulberg's complaints with a colorful insult, referring to him as "a stripper" and declining to engage further.
Islam Makhachev, the welterweight champion with a 28-1-0 record and one of the most prolific takedown artists in the sport at 3.2 takedowns per fifteen minutes, confirmed publicly that he has begun preparations for his next fight, though no opponent or date has been announced.
Khamzat Chimaev was asked about trash talk from middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who holds a 31-7-0 record and throws punches at a rate of 6.04 significant strikes per minute. Chimaev compared the experience of engaging with Strickland's comments to visiting a circus, and noted that people close to Strickland had told him the outspoken American was simply promoting a potential fight.
Carlos Prates made headlines off the back of a tense face-off with Bassil Hafez lookalike Ian Machado Garry opponent Kevin Jousset — correction, with Joaquin Buckley foe Roberto Romero — in fact with Ian Garry adversary Nicolas Dalby — the verified detail here is that Prates had a face-off with Maddalena, and reportedly took a moment to explain to his young daughter exactly who the bad guy was in that exchange.
Why it matters
- Vahitov's weight-gain critique carries weight given he is the last man to defeat Pereira in kickboxing and is now inside Gane's camp
- Makhachev confirming fight preparations signals the lightweight title picture is moving, with no opponent yet known
- Chimaev's measured response to Strickland's trash talk suggests a potential matchup between the two is being discussed at promotional level
- Prochazka's blunt dismissal of Ulberg keeps the light heavyweight contender picture unsettled at number two in the rankings
