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Robert Whittaker believes Khamzat Chimaev will dominate Sean Strickland in their upcoming title fight at UFC 328. Whittaker, who faced Chimaev before, emphasizes Chimaev's grappling skills and cardio as key advantages.
Robert Whittaker can't see Sean Strickland having an answer for UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev's grappling.
Chimaev (15-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) is a huge favorite going into his first title defense against Strickland (30-7 MMA, 17-7 UFC) in Saturday's UFC 328 (Paramount+) main event at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Whittaker experienced Chimaev's grappling prowess first hand when he was quickly submitted in their fight at UFC 308.
"We want to see if Strickland has what it takes," Whittaker told UFC on Paramount+. "All the things he's talking, he talks a big game. He almost convinces me that he could do it. But having been in there with Chimaev, having seen what Chimaev can do, once he gets his hands on him – and he will.
"Because he shoots from so far away, and he commits wholeheartedly, and he will get you to the mat. It's what happens after. Seeing that he has the cardio to be able to do that for five rounds as well, mate. Gun to my head, Chimaev is going run him over."
Whittaker knew what Chimaev wanted to do but explains what makes the undefeated phenom so unstoppable.
"All the preparation we did, he was just better than the preparation," Whittaker said. "His ability to stick to you, control the positions, to just move into another position once he's got his hands on you was just next level. We also saw that with the Dricus (Du Plessis) fight. Dricus is a hard guy to hold down.
"He's a big, strong man, and the way he handled him and extended his cardio over five rounds, and just kept making those adjustments, efficiently making those adjustments so he didn't gas himself early. ... We prepped as well as anybody else can, and I'm sure Dricus prepped as well as anybody else could. It's just his level is to be respected."
Robert Whittaker stated that Chimaev will likely run over Strickland due to his superior grappling and cardio.
Khamzat Chimaev holds an undefeated record of 15-0 MMA and 9-0 UFC, while Sean Strickland has a record of 30-7 MMA and 17-7 UFC.
The fight is scheduled for Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
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This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 328: Former Khamzat Chimaev victim fears for Sean Strickland