The former UFC light heavyweight champion recently addressed rumors
linking him to an interim title fight against Paulo Costa
while reigning champion Carlos
Ulberg recovers from injury. While Prochazka is staying
consistent with his training regimen, he's yet to lock in a
fight.

Prochazka says his next UFC fight is not confirmed amid Paulo
Costa speculation

Prochazka last competed at
UFC 327, suffering a first-round knockout loss to Ulberg in a
bid for the vacant light heavyweight championship. Ulberg suffered
an ACL injury in the bout and is expected to return next year,
paving the way for an interim title.

Amidst rumors linking him to an interim title bout with Costa,
Prochazka took to social media to clear the air, claiming that his
next bout is unconfirmed.

“Strong week, great rounds and teamwork,†Prochazka wrote on
Instagram. “Family and friend bachelors party for relax on weekend.
Let’s start a 3rd week. Just don’t believe to every bullsh*t on
internet. Fight is not confirmed yet, still working on that. One
thing is sure. I want my preparation to be truly thorough—to break
everything down—and to start from the roots that have long been a
part of me. There are still levels that can be reached, and right
now I am very grateful to see them clearly.â€

UFC
332, scheduled for Oct. 3 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City,
remains without an officially announced main event, fueling
speculation that Prochazka vs. Costa could headline the card.

Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer Michael
Bisping believes the rule under which Paddy
Pimblett's purse is being withheld is extremely
unreasonable.

Pimblett scored a first-round submission win over Benoit St.
Denis at
UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in July. “The Baddyâ€
hasn't yet received his purse for the fight due to a highly
criticized rule. Pimblett's purse is being withheld because he
celebrated his win by jumping on the cage. Max
Holloway and Gable
Steveson, who also celebrated their respective wins at UFC 329
by jumping on the cage, are also under investigation.

Paddy Pimblett’s UFC 329 purse remains withheld over his
post-fight cage celebration

Bisping believes this rule needs to change for good. The former UFC
middleweight champion believes it is absolutely justified to climb
on the cage after a win.

“It all goes back to when Paddy beat Benoit St. Denis. What did he
do? He celebrated. He jumped on the cage as a lot of fighters do,â€
Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “Max Holloway did it. Gable
Steveson did it. And they're also under investigation and could
have their purses withheld or potentially are going to get fined
thousands of dollars. This is utterly ridiculous. I hate this
rule…â€

The Englishman then discussed how he did the same after winning his
title and that it's hard to contain the excitement of a big win.
“The Count†also believes it's a way for the athletic commissions
to earn some money on the side.

“I did it at
UFC 199 in California, one of the strictest commissions in the
world,†Bisping added. “A lot of fighters jump on top of the cage.
You've just won in front of thousands of people and millions
watching around the world. You're allowed to celebrate winning.
Boxers jump on the ropes all the time. But MMA fighters jump on the
cage and suddenly they get fined or have their purses withheld.
It's nonsense. It's a crime. It's the athletic commissions trying
to get a few bucks for themselves. This rule needs to be
changed.â€

Zuffa LLC

Umar Nurmagomedov has a feeling that Petr Yan will be able to get the better of Merab Dvalishvili again at UFC 333.

At UFC 333, Petr Yan will defend the UFC bantamweight championship against Merab Dvalishvili. The two both have a win to their name in this rivalry, and this could well serve as the final time they ever collide in the cage.

RELATED: Merab Dvalishvili admits Petr Yan could ‘beat the s—‘ out of him in UFC 333 trilogy

Given the performance he put on in the rematch, Yan will likely be considered the favorite for this one – but you certainly can't count out someone like Dvalishvili who is, as his nickname suggests, an absolute machine in every way.

In a recent interview, divisional rival Umar Nurmagomedov weighed in on Yan vs Dvalishvili 3.

Nurmagomedov on Yan vs Dvalishvili 3

“My bet is that Petr will get it done again,†Nurmagomedov told Red Corner MMA. “He was healthy. A lot of things depend on your health. He was able to punch with his right hand. That's what I saw. In their first fight he couldn't do that as his shoulder was injured. In the second fight, he could use both of his hands, and it was a completely different story.

“I can see that if they are both healthy in the next fight, based on their skillsets, Petr has good boxing, Merab has wrestling, but he can't control opponents on the ground the way Aljamain Sterling did. Merab just can't because he doesn't have that level of grappling. So, he might take him down, but Petr will get up. That's why I don't see a different outcome.â€

Quotes via MMA Junkie

Do you agree with Umar Nurmagomedov's prediction? Do you expect to see Umar eventually challenge the winner for the belt? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM