Joe Pyfer, fresh off a TKO victory over Israel Adesanya at UFC Seattle and having secured the No. 6 spot in the middleweight rankings, has recently offered his perspective on how to defeat Khamzat Chimaev.
Chimaev claimed the middleweight title last year at UFC 319, where he dominated Dricus du Plessis for over 21 minutes with relentless control.
The Chechen-born Emirati fighter is set to make his first defense of the 185-pound championship at UFC 328, where he will face his former training partner turned fierce rival, Sean Strickland.
The highly anticipated middleweight title bout has already drawn considerable analysis from experts. Some analysts believe that “Tarzan” will prove to be a tough opponent for the undefeated “Borz,” citing Strickland’s strong takedown defense, superior striking, and excellent cardio as key advantages.
However, another segment of the fanbase predicts that Chimaev will nullify Strickland’s offensive game with his dominant grappling and wrestling, similar to how he controlled Du Plessis.
Amidst these varied predictions, Joe Pyfer has now shared his strategic insights.
Joe Pyfer’s Strategy for Sean Strickland to Defeat Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328
Joe Pyfer believes Sean Strickland must intentionally create a “chaotic” environment against Khamzat Chimaev. He advises Strickland to prevent the middleweight champion from establishing control in any aspect of the fight, whether by dictating the pace in stand-up exchanges or by taking “Tarzan” to the ground and dominating him there.
According to Pyfer, it is crucial for Strickland to successfully defend against takedowns during the initial ten minutes of the fight. He suggests that a frustrated Chimaev beyond this period would become much easier to overcome. In an interview with Full Mount MMA, Pyfer, also known as “Bodybagz,” explained:
“Khamzat Chimaev’s primary objective early in the fight will be to secure an initial takedown, aiming to drain his opponent’s energy through wrestling. Therefore, for the first ten minutes, Strickland should actively engage, constantly changing levels, or maintain a low, grounded stance to prevent Chimaev from getting underneath him. Successfully doing so significantly increases his chances of victory.”
Furthermore, Sean Strickland’s coach echoes a similar sentiment, emphasizing that “Tarzan” needs to master breaking Chimaev’s chain wrestling sequences, which would effectively disrupt the champion’s overall game plan.
