Khamzat Chimaev allegedly cut 46 pounds for UFC 328, appearing shaky during the weigh-in. There are speculations that he may not have actually made the required weight of 185 pounds.
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NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 08: Khamzat Chimaev of Russia poses on the scale during the UFC 328 ceremonial weigh-in at Prudential Center on May 08, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
Khamzat Chimaev is less than 24 hours away from facing off with Sean Strickland at UFC 328, yet he may have already won his toughest battle.
You wouldnât expect a former Welterweight to have a difficult cut to 185 pounds, but itâs no secret âBorzâ looked a bit shaky at the scale on Friday. Thereâs also a bit of controversy about his weigh-in itself, as thereâs speculation that Chimaev didnât actually make weight, as the commission was quick to grant him the 185-pound weight. Chimaev has put on a lot of weight since his days at Welterweight, likely in anticipation of a 205-pound or Heavyweight move.
Chimaev hasnât looked that rough on weigh-in day since he missed weight in his scrapped bout versus Nate Diaz.
There are speculations that Khamzat Chimaev did not actually make the required weight of 185 pounds during the weigh-in.
Khamzat Chimaev allegedly cut 46 pounds to reach the 185-pound limit for UFC 328.
Khamzat Chimaev appeared shaky during the weigh-in, leading to controversy over whether he truly made weight.
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Ahead of the weight cut, Khamzatâs friend and training partner Arman Tsarukyan revealed some shocking numbers. Per the top-ranked Lightweight contender, Khamzat cut roughly 21 kilograms or 46 pounds to make the Middleweight limit â thatâs more than Paulo Costa in his 185-pound heyday!
âHe cuts a lot of weight,â Tsarukyan admitted. âItâs not easy for anyone, even if youâre cutting three kilograms. Khamzat is cutting almost 21 kilograms this time. 21 kilograms is a big number.â
Why such a drastic cut? There are rumors that Khamzat was supposed to go up to 205-pounds and fight for the vacant belt right up until Stricklandâs stunning victory over Anthony Hernandez (watch here), which changed the plan. Instead of bulking up, Chimaev would suddenly have to switch paths to losing weight.
Regardless of that gossip and Tsarukyanâs 21 kg figure, âBorzâ clearly cut a serious amount of water here. Strickland surely intends to test his gas tank late in their five-round fight, and a bad cut could severely affect Chimaevâs ability to compete as fatigue sets in.