Jon Jones offers Khamzat Chimaev advice as he looks to rebound from first loss of his career

Khamzat Chimaev's first professional loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293—where he relinquished his middleweight title in a razor-thin split decision—prompted UFC legend Jon Jones to offer candid advice on bouncing back from defeat.

Chimaev entered as an overwhelming favorite but faded dramatically after a dominant opening round, abandoning his wrestling down the stretch. Jones, speaking with Red Corner MMA, expressed surprise at the outcome and emphasized that the former champion possesses all the tools needed to reclaim his belt and avenge the loss. "Big fan of Khamzat," Jones said. "It was hard to see him lose."

Jones identified endurance as Chimaev's primary weakness in the Strickland fight and recommended a complete overhaul of his conditioning approach. More critically, Jones highlighted a gap in Chimaev's defensive arsenal: comfort fighting from his back. "We don't really see him on his back very often," Jones noted, suggesting Chimaev develop a stronger jiu-jitsu game and mental fortitude from bottom position to avoid similar setbacks.

Jones also acknowledged the psychological toll defeat can exact, urging Chimaev to refocus on mindset and self-belief. "Losses happen. Sometimes the best version of people comes out after a loss," he said.

Chimaev has called for an immediate rematch with Strickland but no bout has been officially scheduled. The 28-year-old has continued pushing for the fight before 2026 concludes, though he briefly considered moving up to light heavyweight before deciding to remain at middleweight.