Khamzat Chimaev contradicts Dana White with new Sean Strickland message

TL;DR

Khamzat Chimaev lost to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 via split decision after a tough weight cut. Dana White revealed that Chimaev expressed a desire to move up to a different weight class post-fight.

Key points

Khamzat Chimaev lost to Sean Strickland at UFC 328
The fight ended in a split decision
Chimaev faced challenges due to a difficult weight cut
Dana White revealed Chimaev wants to change divisions
Chimaev was the favorite going into the fight

Khamzat ChimaevSean StricklandUFC 328

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Khamzat Chimaev entered UFC 328 as the favourite against Sean Strickland, but the unbeaten star suffered a surprising defeat via split decision.

Many fans and analysts linked the performance to Chimaev’s difficult weight cut before the event. Questions immediately emerged about whether he could continue competing comfortably in the division moving forward.

Dana White addressed the situation after the fight and revealed ‘Borz’ wanted to change divisions. The UFC boss said: “He literally walked up to me after the fight and said: ‘I want to move up. I don’t wanna fight in this weight class anymore.’ You know, him moving up is exciting.”

Khamzat Chimaev hinted at a Sean Strickland rematch on social media

Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images

Chimaev appeared to contradict White’s comments with a message posted on X on Sunday night following the defeat at UFC 328.

The former champion wrote: “Let me know when you are ready, Sean Strickland,” which suggested he could still be interested in another fight at middleweight rather than immediately moving divisions.

The post quickly fuelled speculation about a rematch as the scorecards became a talking point after the bout.

Daniel Cormier also backed Chimaev to recover strongly from the loss. The former UFC champion said he believed ‘Borz’ could even earn an immediate title rematch and insisted the fighter would “be back”.

A Sean Strickland rematch may not excite UFC fans

A second fight between Chimaev and Strickland may not be the most appealing option despite the attention generated before UFC 328.

Their rivalry appeared intense outside the cage, but much of that tension disappeared once the fight began and after the final bell, as they apologised to each other about their remarks in the intense build-up.

Q&A

Why did Khamzat Chimaev lose to Sean Strickland at UFC 328?

Khamzat Chimaev lost to Sean Strickland due to a surprising split decision, which many attributed to his difficult weight cut before the fight.

What did Dana White say about Khamzat Chimaev's future after UFC 328?

Dana White stated that Chimaev expressed a desire to move up to a different weight class after his fight with Strickland.

How did Khamzat Chimaev perform at UFC 328?

Chimaev entered UFC 328 as the favorite but suffered a defeat against Sean Strickland, raising concerns about his ability to compete in his current weight class.