Following his split-decision defeat to Sean Strickland earlier this month at UFC 328, Khamzat Chimaev has asserted that the judges favored Strickland due to his American nationality. Chimaev has also directly challenged Strickland, expressing his eagerness for a title rematch and promising a violent outcome.
During their bout, Chimaev opted to abandon his wrestling-heavy strategy after the initial rounds, choosing instead to engage in a striking battle. Despite Chimaev demonstrating a higher output and controlling the pace for significant portions of the fight on the feet, Strickland ultimately secured a split-decision victory on the scorecards.
A significant portion of the MMA community believes Chimaev was the rightful winner. The Chechen-born fighter has now voiced his opinion on the matter. Recently, Khamzat Chimaev posted on X:
“All judges are Americans, the organization is American, the opponent is American and one is Chechen. It’s a close fight, who do you think will win? 😂”
Khamzat Chimaev Issues Stern Warning to Sean Strickland
After losing the title, Chimaev initially indicated a potential move to light heavyweight. However, he has since decided to remain in the middleweight division to pursue a rematch with Sean Strickland, expressing confidence in reclaiming the championship belt. Earlier today, Chimaev sent a direct warning to Strickland via X:
“I’m waiting tell me when you’re ready @SStricklandMMA Next time somebody has to be dead.”
In a subsequent post, Chimaev added:
“No excuses, I just wanna f*ck him up. This sh*t trying to run away.”
Although Chimaev is keen on an immediate rematch, the current two-time UFC middleweight champion, Sean Strickland, does not share the same urgency. Post-victory, Strickland stated that Chimaev would need to win a couple of fights to earn another title opportunity.
During the UFC 328 title fight, Strickland sustained a broken nose and is also dealing with a shoulder injury, with an expected recovery period of 3-4 months. Meanwhile, Chimaev and his team have expressed their desire for a rematch with Strickland to take place in October, coinciding with the UFC’s event in Abu Dhabi.
