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. Jiri Prochazka responded to accusations from Ulberg by dismissing complaints from a stripper. Carlos Prates and his daughter did a face-off with Jack Maddalena. Islam Makhachev confirmed he started training camp for his next bout. Hamzat Chimaev responded calmly to Sean Strickland's trash talk, comparing it to being amused by a circus clown rather than getting angry. Colby Covington complained about lack of UFC promotion and interest, expressing willingness to fight in RAF.
Artem Vahitov, the last man to beat Alex Pereira in kickboxing and a current training partner of Ciryl Gane, has gone on record predicting that Pereira will fall short in his next outing — attributing the decline to excessive muscle mass the Brazilian has packed on in recent years.
Vahitov's comments drew attention partly because of his unique credibility on the subject. Having handed Pereira a kickboxing defeat and now working alongside one of the light heavyweight division's top contenders, his assessment carries weight in fight circles. He stopped short of specifics but argued that Pereira's added bulk will ultimately work against him.
Elsewhere in the news cycle, light heavyweight number-two contender Jiri Prochazka dismissed criticism from Modestas Ulberg by comparing the complaints to noise not worth engaging. The Czech fighter, who stands six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach and carries a 32-6-1 record, remains one of the division's most dangerous strikers, averaging 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy.
Welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, who holds a 28-1-0 record and tops the pound-for-pound rankings, confirmed publicly that he has begun a training camp for his next bout. The Russian champion is known for his suffocating grappling, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes to go alongside a 58 percent striking accuracy rate.
Middleweight champion Sean Strickland, 35, found himself the subject of Hamzat Chimaev's measured response to trash talk. Rather than escalating, Chimaev reportedly compared reacting to Strickland to finding a circus clown amusing rather than threatening. Strickland carries a 31-7-0 record and averages 6.04 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- Vahitov's prediction adds external scrutiny to Pereira's physical evolution heading into his next light heavyweight assignment
- Prochazka's public dismissal of Ulberg signals continued posturing in a crowded light heavyweight contender picture
- Makhachev confirming a camp start suggests a welterweight title defence is closer than previously indicated
- Chimaev's composed reply to Strickland keeps middleweight division chatter simmering without a formal booking in place
