Khamzat Chimaev successfully made the 185-pound middleweight limit for his UFC 328 title bout against Sean Strickland with only 20 minutes to spare. However, his training partner, Arman Tsarukyan, revealed that “Borz” endured a staggering 21 kilograms of weight loss to achieve this. Following the weigh-in, Chimaev appeared utterly depleted, lacking the energy to interact with his team or the media, indicating a severe physical toll from the drastic weight cut.
In contrast, Sean Strickland was among the first fighters to step on the scales and comfortably make weight.
Observing Chimaev’s post-weigh-in demeanor, Daniel Cormier voiced his apprehension. Cormier commented, “He looks pretty dejected, man. He’s hurting. How did this man make weight? He’s miserable. He looks so skinny.”
Chimaev himself has previously stated his intention to move up to the light heavyweight division (205 pounds) for future fights, signaling that this arduous middleweight cut might be his last at this weight class.
Bryce Mitchell’s Accusations of Rigged Scales
Adding another layer of controversy, Bryce Mitchell has suggested that the UFC 328 weigh-in scales may have been manipulated, and that Khamzat Chimaev did not genuinely make weight. Mitchell stated, “That dude didn’t make that weight. There’s no convincing me bro… it’s all bullsh*t. [Khamzat] gets special treatment… he didn’t make that weight and I think Sean’s champ already. They don’t want him to win because they can’t control what he says and he loves America.”
Independent observations from other viewers also noted that the scale appeared to be pre-set to 185 pounds before Chimaev stepped on, and that the commission did not adjust it, leading to the bar remaining at the top. This fueled speculation about the legitimacy of the weigh-in.
