Following his split decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 earlier this month, Khamzat Chimaev has voiced his dissatisfaction, suggesting that the judges’ decision was influenced by nationality. Chimaev, who believes he deserved the victory, has publicly called for a title rematch with Strickland, promising a more definitive outcome.
During their bout, Chimaev deviated from his wrestling-focused strategy in the later rounds, opting instead for striking exchanges. Despite landing more strikes and controlling the pace for significant portions of the fight, the judges ultimately scored the fight in favor of the American fighter.
Many observers within the mixed martial arts community felt that Chimaev should have been declared the winner. Chimaev himself has now shared his perspective on the controversial decision.
Chimaev posted on X (formerly Twitter), questioning the fairness of the judging: “All judges are Americans, the organization is American, the opponent is American and one is Chechen. It’s a close fight, who do you think will win? 😂”
The Chechen-born fighter also issued a direct challenge to Strickland, expressing his eagerness for a second encounter and a desire to settle the score decisively. In a deleted tweet, Chimaev wrote, “I’m waiting tell me when you’re ready @SStricklandMMA Next time somebody has to be dead.” He further added, “No excuses, I just wanna f*ck him up. This sh*t trying to run away.”
Despite Chimaev’s immediate desire for a rematch, current middleweight champion Sean Strickland has indicated that Chimaev needs to secure a few more victories before earning another title shot. Strickland is also expected to be sidelined for the next 3-4 months due to a broken nose and a shoulder injury sustained during their fight.
Chimaev and his team, however, are reportedly targeting a rematch with Strickland for October, potentially coinciding with the UFC’s event in Abu Dhabi.
