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While Khabib Nurmagomedov was pleased, “my main coach” was less than happy, Aliskerov (17-2) told media outlets including Cageside Press following the bout.

“Nothing I was doing was stopping him, he kept on pressing forward. Actually, my corner’s not too happy with the way the fight happened,” revealed Aliskerov. “To be honest the plan was to just not to pressure him, just to kind of feel him out, feel out the cage, try to figure out what’s going on and not to force the action. This is kind of the plan that I worked on.”

Ultimately, a win is a win, and Aliskerov now has two straight victories, improving to 17-2 overall and 4-1 under the UFC banner.

Aliskerov was rather complimentary of Park, meanwhile, who turned out to be an opponent that was hard to prepare for in retrospect.

“To be honest when I spar, when I train I spar with really good guys in my gym. Not guys that are worse than him, guys that really pressure you all three rounds, we work three rounds and I never get tired,” he stated. “But with this guy, I’m telling you, I’ve never had an opponent like that. You hit him, he keeps moving forward. You punch him in the nose, his nose busts open, he still keeps pushing forward. You take him down, he gets up, he keeps pushing forward. I’ve never seen an opponent like that. You can find anybody to simulate that kind of opponent.”

That said, “I think that I worked according to plan,” Aliskerov finished.

Watch the full UFC 321 post-fight press conference with Ikram Aliskerov above.

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It was an opportunity Salkilld jumped on short-notice, in part due to the name he’d be facing: Nasrat Haqparast, now a longtime member of the UFC roster.

Speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press following a thunderous (and scary) head kick KO of Haqparast, Salkilld (10-1) admitted that he’d been a “bit worried about the weight to be honest.”

Still, he “ended up getting the job done weight-wise,” and, having flown over to Abu Dhabi, was “looking to do something special. Big name, big card, just looking to do something to make this story-like. Gangster sh*t. I think I achieved that tonight.”

Achieve it he did. While he hurt his leg “on impact,” adding “it doesn’t feel too great right now, but worth it,” it’s nothing compared to what Haqparast endured. Salkilld’s head kick sailed over the arm, connecting flush with that side of Haqparast’s head. He wound up planted face down, legs twitching, and did not get back up for several minutes.

“It was a little bit scary after a couple minutes, and he was still not getting up. I was getting a bit worried, as you do,” admitted Salkilld. “I understand it’s part of the game, and it could easily be me in that situation as well. This is what we sign up for as fighters. We’re on public display, our best moments and also our worst moments.”

“I wish it didn’t go that way where he was out that long, but that’s just the way it happened,” he added.

That big finish should set Salkilld up for a big fight moving forward, and he’s hoping to land a spot on the next Australian card, against a top 15 name.

Watch the full UFC 321 post-fight press conference with Quillan Salkilld above.

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“The demons I had to face. I was so scared all week,” Raposo told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“I was contemplating like what am I gonna do if I lose this fight? What’s my backup plan? It seems like I can’t get it done. Now I got to fly across the world. Kid misses weight, almost a 4-to-1 underdog, and that wasn’t aggressive enough.”

“I just had to break through that barrier and I’m going to get better next time. I just has to get through this. Not aggressive enough, but definitely more aggressive than usual,” he said.

Despite the breakthrough win, Raposo revealed he didn’t leave the Octagon completely unscathed. He noted a minor injury he’ll need to address before making his return.

“My right hand’s a little banged up. When I rocked him I kind of landed with my thumb so I just want to get that healed up,” he said.

“Be active, get back in there whenever I can. I have a little suspension, but I’m going to get back in there soon as the UFC wants me. Shoutout to Mick Maynard for giving me another opportunity.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Mitch Raposo above.

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That unheard of feet is a promotional record, and the latest victim was newcomer Louie Sutherland.

“I don’t know if I’m very happy, or a little bit upset. Because now everybody thinks I can only do jiu-jitsu,” Walker (15-1) said following the fight, speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press.

Ultimately, he’s happy. Probably more so given the performance earned a $50,000 post-fight bonus, though Walker hadn’t yet been made aware while speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi. Either way, it’s four down, two to go.

“I’m very happy because I did this again. And I want to do this two more times. I want to bring six heels hooks,” stated Walker. “My country, we have five world titles, and I want to bring six feet to Brazil. Six heel hooks. But I already made history. It’s the first time in history, four submissions in the heavyweight division, and four heel hooks in a row.”

Why stop at six? Because Walker knows that eventually, someone will catch wise and make him pay. “I told my coach already, somebody’s going to ground n’ pound me and turn me off. But I’m not scared of this. I know who’s my coach, who’s my family. I know if something bad happens, there’ll be few changes in my private life.”

After his own win on Saturday, heavyweight Hamdy Abdelwahab called out Walker, though he suggested a grappling match. Walker, however, wants a fight, preferably in Doha, Qatar.

“Let us fight MMA, in Doha, November. If you’re ready and calling my name, let’s fight MMA,” exclaimed Walker. “I’m an MMA fighter, bro. MMA. My team is GOR MMA. GOR MMA, it’s not GOR Grappling. MMA. I’m an MMA fighter. Let’s go fight MMA. I’m ready.”

Watch the full UFC 321 post-fight press conference with Valter Walker above.

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After his previous fight, a TKO of Brendson Ribeiro, UFC commentator Joe Rogan called Azamat Murzakanov one of the most unheralded light heavyweights. While that may be the case, Murzakanov is willing to keep proving himself.

“Let them underestimate me still, and I’m going to prove as we go each time,” Murzakanov (16-0) told Cageside Press and other media outlets at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. “I’m thinking we will get good news soon. I really like when they underestimate me.”

That good news, if Murzakanov gets his way, will come in the form of a number one contender’s match. Along with himself, there’s the surging Carlos Ulberg and resurgent Jiri Prochazka in the mix in the UFC’s 205 pound division.

“Any of these guys that could put me towards the title shot,” Murzakanov stated when asked which of the names available he’d like to tango with. None are booked currently; Alex Pereira, who reclaimed light heavyweight gold earlier this month, does not have a fight booked either.

Of note, things got a bit heated between Azamat Murzakanov and Rakic after Saturday’s bout, though cooler heads ultimately prevailed. As to what happened, “I didn’t like the way he, his attitude during the face-offs,” Murzakanov stated. “So I just responded to him in the same way.”

The knockout, more than anything, gives Murzakanov the last word of course.

Watch the full UFC 321 post-fight press conference with Azamat Murzakanov above.

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It won’t be a fight fondly remembered, but Volkov (39-11) was the more active fighter in comparison to foe Jailton Almeida, who while landing multiple takedowns simply didn’t do anything with them.

“Drago” was hoping for a title shot after the fight, though the No Contest in the heavyweight title fight later in the night will dash those hopes. Still, it’s clear he appreciates the type of fight he was in on Saturday.

“If the UFC doesn’t give us a Performance of the Night bonus, I will be upset. It was the best fight ever I think. Today, for sure. So great,” joked Volkov, who these days has done away with his translator, allowing a well-honed sense of humor to shine through.

His comments brought about a small round of applause in the media room. On a more serious note, the towering Russian added that he was happy to have been able to show his jiu-jitsu in the fight. And he recognizes that Almeida came ready to win, if not ready to put everything on the line.

“Out of the joke, he was tough. His takedown was pretty good. He was well-prepared,” stated Volkov. “I know this was a little bit uninteresting, how he took me down again and again. But I tried to give him more punches where ever it was, on the ground, in the stand-up, where ever. I was just feeling like, give him more damage. Like in the first round, I changed it around, I sweep him, give him some big damage on the top. So for sure he had more damage on him. I feel good.”

Aside from a late punch that caused his nose to bleed anyway, added Volkov. Ultimately, the #2-ranked light heavyweight seemed to think Almeida was fighting not to lose, rather than fighting to win.

“He kind of tried to not lose the fight, or not have damage. You can’t go to the octagon with this thought.”

Watch the full UFC 321 post-fight press conference with Alexander Volkov above.

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Not for fight fans. Not for UFC heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall. And not for Ciryl Gane, who was looking to finally claim an undisputed heavyweight title after a pair of opportunities against Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.

Instead, an accidental double eye poke left Aspinall unable to continue in the fight late in the opening round. A No Contest was the result. Fans at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi headed for the exists, fans at home no doubt fumed at paying big money for a Pay-Per-View title fight just to fizzle (at least in the U.S., that won’t be a concern next year when the UFC’s partnership with streamer Paramount+ kicks off).

For Gane (13-2, 1NC), there was anger, disappointment, but ultimately understanding, he explained while speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press on hand in Abu Dhabi.

“I think we started very well, I think we started very well. Because everybody knows his strategy, every time he starts really hard and surprises his opponent. I think we did really well, defending the takedown and touching him,” stated Gane, who had been aggressive and in Aspinall’s face in the early going, finding success with his jab. “We saw some blood on his nose. It was a really great first round, and that’s why I was maybe also I was a little bit disappointed, a little bit sad about this issue— but this is the sport.”

His immediate reaction was that “I really, really wanted to continue the fight,” added Gane. “I was first angry because I don’t want him to stop the fight. After I was disappointed, sad, and after apologetic for the people.”

Ultimately, Gane understands better than most, having been the victim of a bad eye poke himself in his fight with “The Black Beast” in 2021.

“I didn’t do it on purpose. I know what it is to have an eye poke, because when I fought Derrick Lewis, I got an eye poke, and I saw two Derrick Lewis’ for a full round. One round, during that bit of the round, and the rest of the round, I saw two Derrick Lewis. So I’m not going to say ‘yeah he’s a liar.'”

Per UFC CEO and President Dana White, the UFC hopes to run the fight back soon.

Watch the full UFC 321 post-fight press conference with Ciryl Gane above.

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Nurmagomedov earned a hard-fought decision victory over Mario Bautista on Saturday, returning to the win column after the first loss of his professional career, against Merab Dvalishvili earlier this year. The cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov remains a top contender at 135lbs, but Petr Yan is up next for the champ, with the pair headlining UFC 323 this December.

Despite working at an intense pace and entering his fourth title defense this calendar year, Dvalishvili will likely need some time off after that. Nurmagomedov, however, is hoping to fight before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which in 2026 runs from the 18th of February to the 19th of March. Nurmagomedov is hoping to fight again before then.

Should Merab be willing and able to compete by then, “of course I will be happy. I will be even thankful,” Nurmagomedov (19-1) said following his win over Bautista, speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press. “We’ll see what’s gonna [happen] next. If it’s not going to happen before Ramadan, if they will give me another fight — maybe with [Deiveson] Figueiredo, or Aiemann Zahabi, with anybody else — I’ll be happy to fight.”

Staying active is at least in part about growing as a fighter, it seems. Nurmagomedov continued by saying that “today, I became a little better [in the] cage. Grow experience. You need to spend a lot of time in the cage to become feeling there like it’s home. Feel confidence, feel arena, feel fans. I don’t have anything else. I just have sleep, eat, train, repeat.”

There were tough spots in the fight for Nurmagomedov, who admits he may have underestimated Mario Bautista. Still, a dangerous looking heel hook he was caught in early was not as bad as many thought, he suggested. “It was not even close. Doing some submission in MMA, it’s very hard, because you can punch a man.”

“In jiu-jitsu, I understand, like you’re taking [the limb] and you try to break [it], he can’t punch you. In MMA, it’s very hard. And I always, in the training, I always move, like a snake with legs. I have good strength, and I don’t even care about it.”

The knee he ate was another story, with Umar Nurmagomedov admitting that his tendency to duck down is something he needs to work on. “I will work a lot, I have this big mistake. I always go down, I do it a lot of times. Even in the gym, coach Khabib all the time tells me ‘don’t do this, you have to fix this, you have to fix this.'”

“Today I paid for it. We’re not perfect, right? But we will try to become [perfect].”

Watch the full UFC 321 post-fight press conference with Umar Nurmagomedov above.

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