Khamzat Chimaev may have lost his perfect record at UFC 328, but if anyone expected him to quietly move on from Sean Strickland, his team is making it abundantly clear that won’t happen. Sources close to ‘Borz’ reveal that the former middleweight contender is now laser-focused on securing an immediate rematch.
Speaking to ESPN following the defeat, Chimaev’s camp stated that the rematch with ‘Tarzan’ is the only fight on his mind. “The rematch with Sean Strickland is the only fight Khamzat wants,” they said. “He is obsessed with it. That’s the only fight he will accept right now.”
In fact, his brother Artur claimed they had already requested a second bout for a rumored UFC event in Abu Dhabi this October. “We’ve requested a rematch,” they continued. “There’s an event in Abu Dhabi in October, and we want to do it there. We want the second fight. Right now we have no other goals.”
Happy Punch @HappyPunch · Follow
Khamzat Chimaev is “obsessed” with getting the Sean Strickland rematch, per his team 😳
“The rematch with Sean Strickland is the only fight that Khamzat wants, he is obsessed with it. That’s the only fight he will accept right now.
We’ve requested a rematch. There’s an event in Abu Dhabi…”
4:21 PM · May 12, 2026 · 1.9K Replies
New details about Chimaev’s condition during fight week further complicate matters. According to his camp, the middleweight weight cut nearly collapsed before the fight. Artur claimed Chimaev’s body “shut down,” forcing the team to halt the process due to health concerns. “There was a problem with the weight cut,” they added. “The question became whether to cancel the fight or take the risk. When there was 1.2 kg left, his body shut down. Oxygen deprivation. His body malfunctioned. Khamzat himself said he didn’t know how he’d fight in that condition.”
That likely explains why the bout turned into such a bizarre physical contest. Chimaev’s wrestling looked dominant early but faded as rounds progressed, while Sean Strickland kept firing volume and jabs. The split decision divided fans and critics, fueling Chimaev’s obsession with an immediate rematch. Although UFC CEO Dana White said Chimaev told him he wanted to move up in weight afterward, his camp now claims the opposite.
They insist the only thing left to do is get Sean Strickland back in the cage. However, that will be a herculean task, considering ‘Tarzan’ is not interested in an immediate rematch. Strickland doesn’t seem eager to feed that obsession, no matter how many times ‘Borz’ asks. While Chimaev and his team work hard to book a second fight in Abu Dhabi later this year, the newly crowned middleweight champion believes the challenger must first earn his way back.
Speaking backstage after UFC 328, ‘Tarzan’ shut down the idea of an immediate rematch, regardless of how close or controversial the fight was. “Again, you know, as of always, you go get a couple W’s, and I’ll see you again,” he said. “That’s just how it works. I truly believe ranking systems matter in the UFC. They should matter. Whenever they don’t matter, I think it belittles the sport. So go get a couple W’s and I’ll see you again.”
That stance could create a serious booking problem for the UFC, as Nassourdine Imavov also waits for a title opportunity after winning five consecutive fights, including a knockout over Israel Adesanya. Many fans believe Imavov deserved the opportunity before the UFC focused on the Strickland-Chimaev fight. So while Chimaev’s camp may be fixated on erasing the loss immediately, Strickland’s message was simple: the division does not revolve around one man, and if ‘Borz’ wants another shot at the belt, he may have to earn it again.