Pereira Hints at Retirement; Garry Vows More Title Defenses Than Makhachev

Alex Pereira has hinted at a possible retirement, saying he is now fearful of returning to competition after what happened inside the cage and believes he may have already accomplished everything he set out to do. Ian Garry, meanwhile, declared that when he becomes welterweight champion he will defend the title far more frequently than Islam Makhachev, pointing out that Makhachev fights only once a year with his next defense potentially not coming until July 2027. The UFC also launched its long-promised AI rankings, with notable placement differences compared to the existing media rankings, including Blachowicz appearing at No. 15 in the light heavyweight division rather than his current No. 4 media ranking; both systems will run in parallel, with matchmaking continuing to rely on the traditional rankings.