Dana White went on Jim Rome and called 155 pounds the toughest division in the UFC -- mentioned Tsarukyan, Gaethje, Topuria, Oliveira, and the champ by name, which Chael reads as a signal Gaethje hasn’t retired. Ilia Topuria is back in Georgia, back in training, and targeting early 2027 -- Paddy Pimblett offered to coach The Ultimate Fighter against him and it looks like it was turned down. Chael breaks down the 155-pound puzzle: Gaethje won’t rematch anyone, Tsarukyan is the clear number one contender but won’t sit and wait, Topuria hasn’t called his shot, Oliveira wants a title shot but is focused on the BMF belt, and nobody knows who fights who. Carlos Prates is pissed he was verbally told he’d fight Islam for the undisputed title and then got pulled back for an interim shot against Morales instead -- Chael says don’t be pissed, the interim belt is a golden ticket to the undisputed shot, and Morales is the one with a real grievance. Dan Miragliotta was right to stand Moicano up -- Chael explains the rule and recalls the Roy Nelson-Andrei Arlowski precedent. Dan Hooker says Charles Oliveira murked the BMF belt’s identity -- Chael agrees the rules have always been murky and this is a rare miss for the UFC. Ask Uncle Chael: Would Chael take UFC CEO? Josh Hokit beats Ciryl Gane by decision, most likely. What is a BMF? What happens in the afterlife? And a 225-pound weight class -- Chael’s into it.

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Chael put out a video about Jake Paul’s Christmas Eve Abu Dhabi fight and named Netflix as the broadcaster -- then Netflix contacted him directly to say they are not hosting the event. MVP has no broadcast partner: PFL’s ESPN deal is done and not being renewed, the executive brought in to land a media deal was removed when he couldn’t close one, and the whole industry is watching to see how it plays out. Dominick Cruz and TJ Dillashaw debated whether Ciryl Gane is a cheater for the eye poke that ended his heavyweight title fight with Tom Aspinall in a no contest. Chael weighs in and says no, intent is everything, but he’s open to tougher consequences for the rule break regardless. Matt Brown and Henry Cejudo weighed in on Islam Makhachev skipping a date. Brown says champs need a standard, Cejudo says Islam got it right, but Chael says both missed the point: Islam’s issue was the date, not the opponent, and the opponent offer of Carlos Prates surprised him since Islam said his next two were Morales and Rakhmonov. Justin Gaethje has said nothing since Volkanovski called him out and then announced he’s vacating the featherweight belt to challenge Arman Tsarukyan for the lightweight title -- Chael says the silence is becoming must-see TV, and the first time Gaethje speaks, everyone will lean in.

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Volkanovski floated four ideas for his career and Chael says three are bad -- the great one is Volk vacating the featherweight belt, moving to lightweight, and calling out Arman Tsarukyan for the title, contingent on Gaethje retiring. Chael texted Arman on WhatsApp to stir things up. Justin Gaethje retirement is now past 50/50 -- Volk has intel Gaethje may not fight again. Sean Strickland came to his senses and will fight Nassourdine Imavov for the middleweight title in February. Renato Moicano had a great press conference -- told his opponent to shut up because he’s only there for money -- but Chael warns him not to say publicly he wants to fight out his UFC contract. Jake Paul announced a Christmas Eve Abu Dhabi fight with no opponent named yet -- Nate Diaz and Mike Perry likely on the card. Floyd Mayweather vs. Ryan Garcia is a real fight with Floyd’s record on the line -- what people want is Ryan to actually win. Conor McGregor’s coach Kavanagh says Conor’s not done, Chael is behind him for the first time, and expects Max Holloway next with Michael Chandler still in play. Ask Uncle Chael covers Oregon’s UFC tax problem, Spencer Lee and Iowa wrestling, Chael’s favorite saint, and the super fight he actually wants to see.

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