Khamzat Shimaev put pressure back on Sean Strickland and made it clear that he wants a rematch for the UFC middleweight title (up to 84,3 kg). In less than two months, after the norte-americano regained the title by defeating 'Lobo' via split decision in the main event of UFC 328In the event held in May of this year in New Jersey (USA), the Chechen used social media to challenge the champion.
Without hiding his confidence, Chimaev posted a direct message to his rival on his X account, formerly Twitter, demanding that the American return. The Chechen stated that he is ready to return to the octagon immediately and guaranteed that the outcome will be different if he has a second opportunity to share the octagon.
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"Accept the fight, don't run away, I'm going to win no matter what. The sooner this happens, the easier it will be to breathe," wrote the former champion.
Despite losing his undefeated record, 'The Wolf' remains one of the top names in the division and has never hidden his desire for an immediate rematch. Possessing an aggressive style and suffocating wrestling, the Chechen believes he can correct the mistakes made in their first encounter and prove he is the best middleweight in the organization.
On the other side, Strickland returned to the top of the category and awaits the UFC's decision on who will be his first challenger in this new stint as champion. Besides Chimaev, athletes such as... Nassourdine Imavov e Caio Borralho They also appear among the candidates to compete for the belt, which makes the organization's choice even more competitive.
Even without any official confirmation from the UFC, Chimaev's latest provocation increases the pressure on the champion and intensifies the anticipation for a rematch between the two. Given the close nature of their first fight and the high technical level of both fighters, a rematch has the potential to be among the most anticipated middleweight bouts of 2026.
Relive the first fight between Chimaev and Strickland.
Strickland defeated Chimaev in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC
The first meeting between Khamzat Shimaev e Sean Strickland It happened in the main fight of UFC 328 And it delivered one of the most balanced fights of the year. From the opening minutes, the Chechen fighter struggled to impose his wrestling against the American's solid takedown defense and high volume of strikes.
As the rounds progressed, Strickland gained better control of the distance, worked his jab effectively, and neutralized a good portion of his opponent's grappling attempts. After five hard-fought rounds, the judges awarded the victory to the American by split decision, a result that secured him the recovery of the middleweight title and ended Chimaev's undefeated streak in professional MMA.
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