Artem Vahitov, the last man to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing and currently helping Ciryl Gane prepare, stated in a recent interview that Pereira will lose his upcoming fight because he has gained too much muscle mass. In other news, Jiri Prochazka responded to accusations from Ulberg by dismissing complaints from "a stripper." Islam Makhachev confirmed he has started preparation for his next bout. Regarding the Strickland-Chimaev tension, Khamzat displayed awareness when asked about his reaction to Strickland's comments, noting that Strickland's friends approached him and he immediately backed down, saying he was just promoting the fight. Colby Covington expressed frustration that the UFC shows no interest in him, doesn't promote him, and hasn't invited him to important events like the White House fight, though he remains willing to fight and is considering spending his final competitive years with RAF.
Artem Vahitov, the kickboxing standout who holds the last professional kickboxing victory over Alex Pereira, made headlines in a recent interview by predicting that Pereira will be defeated in his next outing — attributing the anticipated loss to what Vahitov described as excessive muscle mass gain. Vahitov, who is currently working as part of Ciryl Gane's training camp, believes the added size has compromised Pereira's effectiveness as a fighter.
Elsewhere in the news cycle, light heavyweight contender Jiri Prochazka offered a blunt response to recent criticism from Carlos Ulberg, dismissing the comments with a derogatory remark directed at Ulberg. The Czech fighter, ranked second in the light heavyweight division at 33 years old, carries a 32-6-1 record and is known for his aggressive output — landing 5.69 significant strikes per minute with a striking accuracy of 55 percent. At six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach, Prochazka has established himself as one of the most dangerous offensive fighters in the weight class.
Welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, 34, confirmed he has begun preparations for his next fight. The Russian champion holds a 28-1-0 record and fights out of Eagles MMA. A specialist on the ground, he averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, complemented by a striking accuracy of 58 percent.
Middleweight champion Sean Strickland, 35, found himself at the center of renewed tension with Khamzat Chimaev. According to Vahitov's account, Chimaev indicated awareness of the ongoing friction, noting that mutual friends of Strickland approached him and that Strickland subsequently backed off, claiming his comments were merely promotional. Strickland holds a 31-7-0 record fighting out of Xtreme Couture and averages 6.04 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- Vahitov's remarks add outside scrutiny to Pereira's physical conditioning ahead of a high-profile matchup
- Prochazka's comments toward Ulberg could escalate tensions in a competitive light heavyweight division
- Makhachev confirming fight preparations signals his next title defense is taking shape
Colby Covington also aired grievances publicly, stating the UFC has shown no interest in promoting him or including him in marquee events, while expressing openness to continuing his career with the RAF organization.
