Khamzat Chimaev doubles down on verbal jabs at Sean Strickland amid UFC title shot dispute
Khamzat Chimaev continues to call out Sean Strickland on social media.
On Oct. 26, Chimaev secured arguably his most impressive win, a first-round submission against Robert Whittaker. The undefeated middleweight's impressive performance sparked a debate about who deserves the next title shot.
Dana White previously announced that Dricus du Plessis will defend his 185-pound title in a rematch against Sean Strickland. An official date and venue have not been confirmed, making it possible to change plans.
Earlier this week, Chimaev posted a photo of himself on X with a gun. The 30-year-old contender added the following caption:
"Where are you? @striklad"
Chimaev recently called out Strickland again on X by posting a picture of them together after a training session. The caption of the post read:
"It’s ok bro haha"
Chimaev made his UFC debut in July 2020. He quickly made a name for himself on the promotion's global platform by securing three wins in two months. The middleweight contender has since endured ups and downs due to injuries and health scare but remained undefeated.
Heading into 2025, Chimaev is expected to fight for the 185-pound title, even if he has to wait for the winner of Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2.
The UFC middleweight division landscape ft. Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev
Dricus du Plessis became the new UFC middleweight champion with a split-decision win against Sean Strickland in January.
Seven months later, Du Plessis defended his throne for the first time by submitting Israel Adesanya with a rear-naked choke in round four of the UFC 305 main event.
In the meantime, Strickland bounced back from his loss against Du Plessis with a split-decision win against Paulo Costa. The dominant performance led to Dana White announcing he earned a rematch against the middleweight king.
Meanwhile, number three-ranked Khamzat Chimaev will either wait for Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 or fight another top contender. The most logical opponent for Chimaev would be number two-ranked Israel Adesanya, who plans to return in the first half of 2025.
The middleweight title picture also features rising contenders Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho. Both fighters are one or two wins away from a title shot depending on the division clears up.