Tag: Sean Strickland

Undisputed middleweight champion, Sean Strickland has claimed that while he is willing to defend his title against the undefeated, Khamzat Chimaev next following his UFC 294 title eliminator victory, as far as he’s concerned the Chechen-finisher has yet to properly earned his title fight against him. 

Strickland, the newly-minted undisputed middleweight titleholder, won his championship spoils just last month in the main event of UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia, handing two-time champion, Israel Adesanya a shocking upset win in a unanimous decision success.

And offered the chance to defend his title in a short-notice turnaround at UFC 294 over the course of the weekend, Strickland turned down the opportunity to fight the undefeated Chimaev, with former welterweight champion and prior foe, Kamaru Usman, due to the short-notice of a potential clash.

Sean Strickland claims Khamzat Chimaev hasn’t earned title fight

Reacting to Chimaev’s close, majority decision win over common-opponent, Usman, Strickland claimed that while he had no issue with fighting the former next in his first attempted title defense, in his opinion, Chimaev had yet to earn a title fight.

“The only thing I like about (Khamzat) Chimaev is that he sells fights,” Sean Strickland told UFC Fight Pass’ Extra Rounds. “For some reason, people f*cking like him or don’t like him, I don’t know. To me, he’s a f*cking paycheck. He sells a lot of fights. People pay to watch but he f*cking hasn’t earned it [title fight].”

Well, it looks like @SStricklandMMA is ready for a matchup with Khamzat! #UFC294

Didn’t hold back and we wouldn’t expect him to. #ExtraRounds from the @PBR Teams Championship. pic.twitter.com/uuQPRVkOzD

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) October 22, 2023

“He doesn’t f*cking deserve it but here we are,” Sean Strickland explained. “Give it to him. He sells a lot of fights. I’ll go f*cking fight the man for five rounds. But no, he has not earned it. He doesn’t f*cking deserve it and getting a decision with a welterweight off the couch does not f*cking earn it.” 

Following Strickland’s comments, Chimaev appeared to fire a warning shot at the incumbent, claiming he would likely finish him with relative ease if they eventually share the Octagon with each other. 

Would you like to see Sean Strickland fight Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 294?

Undefeated middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev has vowed to finish undisputed division champion, Sean Strickland in quickfire fashion if they share the Octagon together next – after landing a title-eliminator victory over former welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman in the co-main event of UFC 294 over the course of the weekend.

Chimaev, who made his long-anticipated return to the Octagon in the co-headliner of UFC 294 over the course of the weekend, turned in a close, majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28) triumph over former pound-for-pound number one, Usman, in the pair’s officially billed championship-eliminator bout.

And improving to 13-0 with his judging victory as a result, Chimaev has been lined up to fight the above-mentioned, Strickland in an undisputed middleweight title fight next. 

However, when and if that showdown takes place likely depends on the Chechnya native’s immediate availability, after he confirmed how he believed he fractured his right hand in the opening exchanges of his fight with Usman, limiting his ability to wrestle and grapple in the second and third rounds. 

Khamzat Chimaev vows to finish Sean Strickland in future fight

Weighing up the possibility of sharing the Octagon with Strickland in the future, undefeated contender, Chimaev has claimed he would make short work of the incumbent champion – and the former should know that.

“@SStricklandMMA you are next don’t worry you know haw (sic) fast I can finish you,” Khamzat Chimaev posted on his official X account. 

@SStricklandMMA you are next don’t worry you know haw fast I can finish you

— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) October 23, 2023

Winning undisputed middleweight gold back in September, Strickland turned in a stunning unanimous decision win over former two-time division champion, Israel Adesanya, scoring a spectacular upset win over the City Kickboxing staple in Sydney, Australia. 

Who wins in a future fight: Khamzat Chimaev or Sean Strickland?

Off the back of his close, majority decision win over former undisputed welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman in the co-main event of UFC 294 last night, Khamzat Chimaev has opened as a significant betting favorite to defeat Sean Strickland in a future title fight – after landing a win in his title-eliminator return.

Co-headlining UFC 294 in a reshuffled bout last night in Abu Dhabi, Chechen-born contender, Khamzat Chimaev turned in a close, majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28) victory over former pound-for-pound number one, Usman in his first Octagon walk since he featured at UFC 279 back in September of last year.

Revealing he suffered a fractured right hand likely in the opening exchanges of his first round brawl with Usman in the Middle East last night, Chimaev may face an extended period on the sidelines, claiming the injury setback forced him to utilize a striking gameplan predominantly, ahead of his usual wrestling and grappling approach.

Khamzat Chimaev opens as betting favorite over Sean Strickland after UFC 294

And following his victory – in what UFC CEO, Dana White-billed as an official middleweight championship-eliminator prior to the flagship event, Chimaev has opened as a -340 betting favorite to beat middleweight titleholder, Strickland, with the Covina native opening as a sizeable +270 betting underdog. 

Despite the immediate fallout from last night’s action in the desert, a host of bookies and markers are already offering odds on a potential championship showcase between Strickland Chimaev, including free bet no deposit wagers, and even prop bets and outright winner wagers. 

Striking Octagon gold just last month in Sydney, Australia, Strickland turned in a spectacular upset win over former two-time championship holder, Israel Adesanya, landing a one-sided unanimous decision win over the City Kickboxing staple. 

And initially expected to fight the Nigerian-Kiwi in an immediate title fight rematch off the back of his upset win, Strickland had reportedly been approached to fight Chimaev on just 10 days’ notice at UFC 294 prior to the booking of his fight with ex-champion, Usman, before rejecting the bout promptly due to its’ short-notice nature.

Improving to 13-0 as a professional last night in his return to the middleweight limit for the first time since a shuddering first round knockout win over Gerald Meerschaert back in 2020, Khamzat Chimaev had most recently submitted Kevin Holland with a first round D’Arce choke submission win in September of last year, in another rebooked co-main event bout. 

Prior to that dominant victory, Chimaev had turned in a close, back-and-forth decision win over former welterweight title challenger and common-foe of the above-mentioned, Usman, Gilbert Burns in April of last year. 

And despite previous weight miss issues at the welterweight limit, Khamzat Chimaev has stood firm in his intentions to strike gold in not just one or two weight classes, but three, if afforded the opportunity, as he eyes fights with either incumbent 170 pound kingpin, Leon Edwards, or incoming UFC 296 title challenger, Colby Covington. 

With last night’s win over Usman, Chimaev is firmly expected to leapfrog current number one ranked middleweight contender, Dricus du Plessis and challenge for divisional gold against the previously mentioned, Strickland. 

Who wins in a future fight: Sean Strickland or Khamzat Chimaev?

Scrambling to save this weekend’s UFC 294 card in the Middle East, prior to booking an official middleweight title-eliminator between Khamzat Chimaev, and Kamaru Usman, the promotion is said to have floated a championship fight between the undefeated, Chimaev, and incumbent divisional gold holder, Sean Strickland, ultimately to no avail.

Returning to Abu Dhabi, UAE this weekend – the promotion was forced to alter both originally scheduled co-headlining and headlining bouts for the flagship event, after Brazilian duo, Paulo Costa, and former lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira were forced from their respective clashes due to nasty injuries sustained ahead of the card.

As a result, the promotion have since booked a middleweight championship eliminator between former welterweight champion and prior pound-for-pound number one, Usman, and the above-mentioned Chechen-born finisher, Chimaev for the night’s co-headlining slot.

Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev with an INTENSE staredown pic.twitter.com/h0O8AMqHj0

— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) October 20, 2023

Sean Strickland reportedly turned down a UFC 294 title fight with Khamzat Chimaev

However, as per a report tonight from ESPN reporter, Marc Raimondi, prior to locking in a fight between Usman and Chimaev, recently-minted undisputed middleweight champion, Strickland was initially floated in a short-notice title defense against the former, having just featured at UFC 293 last month in Sydney, Australia.

Rejecting such a short-notice turnaround to defend his middleweight crown against Chimaev, Strickland was subsequently out of the picture to fight at UFC 294 in the Middle East – with the organization instead landing on a fight between Usman and Chimaev. 

Atop tomorrow’s card at the Etihad Arena, undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev will take on undisputed featherweight champion and pound-for-pound leader, Alexander Volkanovski on just 11 days’ notice in a championship rematch, having initially clashed back in February in Perth, Australia. 

Would you like to see Sean Strickland fight Khamzat Chimaev in the future?