Artem Vakhitov, who is helping Ciryl Gane prepare and is the last person to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing, stated in a recent interview that Pereira will lose because he gained too much muscle mass. In other news, Jiri Prochazka responded to accusations of being fake from Carlos Ulberg by calling him a stripper. Islam Makhachev confirmed he started preparation for his next fight. Hamzat Chimaev responded to Sean Strickland's trash talk by comparing it to being entertained by a clown at a circus, noting that Strickland's friends told him Sean privately said he's just promoting the fight. Colby Covington complained that the UFC shows no interest in promoting him and is ready to give his final competitive years to RAF if necessary.
Artem Vakhitov, the last fighter to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing and currently assisting Ciryl Gane's camp, has warned that Pereira will suffer for gaining too much muscle mass. Vakhitov made the comments in a recent interview. Separately, Jiri Prochazka fired back at Carlos Ulberg's accusations of fakery by labeling the New Zealander a stripper, while Hamzat Chimaev, Islam Makhachev, and Colby Covington each made headlines of their own.
Prochazka, ranked second in the UFC light heavyweight division at 33 years old, carries a 32-6-1 record and is known for one of the most aggressive striking games in the sport. The Czech fighter out of Jetsaam Gym Brno lands 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, and his response to Ulberg was characteristically blunt.
Middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who holds a 31-7 record, found himself on the receiving end of a pointed comeback from Hamzat Chimaev. Chimaev compared Strickland's trash talk to clown entertainment at a circus, and added that Strickland's own friends told him the American privately admitted he is simply promoting the fight. Strickland, out of Xtreme Couture, lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute, and his verbal output often rivals his output inside the cage.
Islam Makhachev, the welterweight champion and top pound-for-pound fighter in the database at 28-1, confirmed he has begun preparation for his next bout. The 34-year-old Russian southpaw averages 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making him a consistent threat whenever a camp begins.
Colby Covington added his own grievance to the news cycle, complaining that the UFC has shown no interest in promoting him and stating he is willing to take his remaining competitive years to Riyadh Athletic Fight if the organization continues to overlook him.
Why it matters
- Vakhitov's assessment carries weight given he is the last man to beat Pereira and is embedded in Gane's camp
- Prochazka and Ulberg's escalating exchange raises the temperature on what could become a ranked light heavyweight clash
- Chimaev's claim that Strickland privately acknowledged the promotional nature of his trash talk complicates the middleweight rivalry narrative
- Covington's frustration with UFC promotion and his mention of RAF signals genuine tension between the fighter and the organization
