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Khamzat Chimaev contradicts Dana White with new Sean Strickland message
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- Khamzat Chimaev contradicts Dana White with new Sean Strickland message
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.
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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.
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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.
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A move to light heavyweight could create more entertaining possibilities for Chimaev instead.
For instance, a potential clash with Paulo Costa would likely generate far more excitement.
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