UFC President Dana White has disclosed that Khamzat Chimaev is actively pushing for a second fight against Sean Strickland. However, the promotion has not yet made a decision regarding an immediate title rematch for Chimaev.
Originally, Chimaev, who hails from Chechnya and represents the UAE, had intended to move up to the light heavyweight division after defeating Strickland at UFC 328. However, Strickland, the American fighter, managed to dethrone “Borz” via a split decision. Now, Chimaev is focused on reclaiming the middleweight championship before pursuing glory in a second weight class.
Following his loss of the title, Chimaev immediately expressed his desire to White to move up to the 205-pound division. However, he now appears eager to face “Tarzan” again, having vowed that “somebody has to die” in the anticipated rematch.
In an interview with Bret Boone, Dana White commented on Chimaev’s persistent requests:
“Khamzat right now is asking for the rematch with Strickland. That’s what he wants. We don’t know what we are going to do yet.”
After regaining the UFC middleweight title for a second time, Strickland suggested that Chimaev would need to secure a few more victories before earning another championship opportunity. White further elaborated during the same interview:
“Strickland will fight anybody.”
Nassourdine Imavov Expresses Disagreement with Immediate Strickland vs. Chimaev Rematch
Nassourdine Imavov, the third-ranked contender in the UFC’s middleweight division, has been patiently awaiting his turn for a title shot, currently on a five-fight winning streak. Following Khamzat Chimaev’s defeat, it seemed highly probable that Imavov would finally get his chance to contend for the belt and potentially face “Tarzan” in a rematch.
However, with Chimaev’s repeated calls for an immediate title rematch, there is a significant possibility that the UFC could book the fight again, forcing “The Sniper” to endure another waiting period. The 30-year-old fighter has indicated his opposition to this scenario and is urging the matchmakers to uphold their previous commitments. Imavov recently posted on X:
“Plenty of talk around the championship fight lately. I believe everyone will stand on what they said #hunter @Mickmaynard2 #nohappyending @SStricklandMMA.”
