Sean Strickland, Khamzat Chimaev rematch gains momentum after title fight

Sean Strickland has opened the door to a rematch with Khamzat Chimaev while recovering from shoulder surgery following his upset middleweight title victory at UFC 328 in May. Strickland (31-7) won a unanimous decision over Chimaev (15-1) in one of recent MMA's biggest upsets, dethroning the previously undefeated "Borz" after Chimaev visibly depleted himself through the weight cut and abandoned his wrestling approach in the second round.

With Chimaev publicly calling for a title rematch, Strickland responded via social media with playful mockery about his opponent's weight-management issues. "Yall keep asking me when I'm gonna fight again," Strickland wrote. "Shoulder is getting solid, need a little longer. As to who I'm fighting. Chimaev keeps running his fucking mouth. Want me to teach you how to cut weight so you can stop b*tching for a second L?"

The champ's comments reference Chimaev's evident fatigue in their first meeting, when poor weight-cutting preparation forced the challenger to abandon takedown attempts and fight primarily on the feet—an area where Strickland proved superior. While Chimaev was initially rumored to target a light heavyweight move following his first professional loss, he has since shifted focus toward securing a rematch against Strickland, who continues his recovery before returning to action.