Khamzat Chimaev is pushing hard for an immediate rematch with Sean Strickland after losing his middleweight title at UFC 328 in Newark last month.
Chimaev, who now holds a professional record of 15-1 as stated in the article, dropped the belt to Strickland but made headlines by helping put the championship strap on the new titleholder after the fight. An injury may delay any potential rematch for a few months, but Chimaev has made it clear he wants Strickland next.
“Accept the fight, don’t run, I’ll beat you anyway,” Chimaev said, adding, “The sooner this happens, the easier it will be to breathe.” When asked why he placed the belt on Strickland, Chimaev explained, “Because I wanted him to clean my belt.”
Fans responding to Chimaev on social media have also floated a possible matchup with Joe Pyfer at Meta Apex in Las Vegas. Away from the UFC cage, Chimaev recently defeated Dillon Danis under the RAF banner in St. Louis, keeping himself active as he chases a second shot at Strickland and the middleweight crown.
