https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/48750051/chimaev-obsessed-immediate-title-rematch-vs-strickland
Following his razor-thin split-decision loss to Sean Strickland last weekend, Khamzat Chimaev is only interested in an immediate rematch.
“The rematch with Sean Strickland is the only fight that Khamzat wants, he is obsessed with it,” his team told ESPN in a statement. “That’s the only fight he will accept right now.”
Chimaev (15-1) surrendered the UFC’s middleweight championship to Strickland (31-7) at UFC 328 last Saturday in Newark, New Jersey. The five-round bout was very tightly contested. Two judges scored it 48-47 for Strickland, while a third had it 48-47 in favor of Chimaev. The grudge match was one of the biggest fights of the year. The UFC implemented additional security measures during fight week due to the animosity between the fighters.
At Saturday’s postfight news conference, UFC CEO Dana White revealed Chimaev had told him he wanted to move up to light heavyweight. Later that night, however, Chimaev tweeted, “See you soon again,” and his team confirmed he will pursue the middleweight rematch ahead of any change in weight class.
It’s unclear what the UFC or Strickland’s interest would be in an immediate rematch. White called Chimaev’s potential move up in weight “exciting,” while Strickland acknowledged his first title defense would likely come against French contender Nassourdine Imavov.
Although the prefight buildup to their first meeting turned ugly, Chimaev wrapped the belt around Strickland in a show of sportsmanship after the fight. Strickland also said the grudge was finished.
Trying to dictate the fight on his terms…when and where …and a home fight to boot…
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Hey, that you like or not that terrorist gourmet Chechen, he was undefeated and that was a VERY CLOSE split decision. I had 3-2 Strickland but it could have gone either way. The split decision is exactly accurate of how close it was.
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“Khamzat isn’t the type of person to move to another weight class and leave unanswered questions behind.”
What unanswered questions? He lost a close fight.
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Also, his fight with Stickland was scheduled far out. This wasn’t a last minute switch. He had a long time to do whatever he wanted with his weight.
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DDP deserves the next shot at Strickland imo. He at least defended the belt (twice) and beat Strickland (twice)
He got so badly mauled by Khamzat though. I think Imavov deserves the next fight. Make Khamzat and DDP fight each other for the number one contender spot, and the winner of that gets the winner of Strickland/Imavov.
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Never heard of those guys blaming weight cuts for anything before……hmmm
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The UFC usually does all it can to avoid any fight math problems.
They don’t want to be advertising Strickland DDP 5 etc.
Sean is calling the shots now and this shit needs to be on US soil, some ultra clear eyes watching the scale and no mongoloid bs like kicking your opponent in the nuts the day before the fight. So glad I was dead wrong.
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I see imavov trying to be interesting. Good for him.
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Let the man speak for himself.
I hate when coaches and friends speak for these people as if they’re not grown men.
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If he wants a rematch, he should have to prove he can make weight.