Chael Sonnen: Sean Strickland is UFC's 'last hope' from 'having to watch [Khamzat] Chimaev' with the belt
Chael Sonnen expects Chimaev to long rule over the middleweight division should Strickland fall short Saturday at UFC 328.
With Khamzat Chimaev, an elite-level wrestler is back atop the UFC middleweight division. Having attempted to reach a similar height and coming close in his own heyday, Chael Sonnen knows how difficult it may be to unseat the current 185-pound king. Chimaev makes his first title defense opposite former champion Sean Strickland this Saturday in UFC 328’s main event in Newark, New Jersey.
Sonnen — a three-time title challenger and UFC Hall of Famer — possessed a similarly wrestling-heavy game as that of the champion. Speaking Monday on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Sonnen shared his belief that the division could be on the cusp of its next great, lengthy title reign. “Strickland is the last hope.
He is the last line of defense between the martial arts community and having to watch Chimaev for the next period of time,” Sonnen told Uncrowned. "I remember warning the UFC. ...
The Russians are coming, and you are our only line of defense. Quit signing these guys. This is right on the back end of the Klitschko brothers ruining boxing to where nobody wanted to watch — unless you were in Germany, where I'm told they're big like David Hasselhoff.
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