Mick Maynard's Shoes: What's next for Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 328 title loss?
Khamzat Chimaev lost his belt and undefeated record at UFC 328. Where does he go from here?
To the surprise of many, Khamzat Chimaev is no longer middleweight champion after UFC 328 . Once believed to be MMA's most unbeatable presence, Chimaev (15-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) lost his perfect record and the 185-pound belt to Sean Strickland (31-7 MMA, 18-7 UFC) by split decision Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, N. J.
, and now it appears radical change may be coming. The Chimaev who showed up in the first round against Strickland was the handful everyone expected him to be, and it looked like he might finish the job early. Strickland survived and endured the bad positions, however, and as the fight wore on, Chimaev's inability to find grappling success it into a coin-toss on the feet.
It was a close one, no question, but Chimaev can't complain robbery, and largely handled the massive upset loss with dignity as he wrapped the belt around Strickland's waist. He didn't stick around for an in-cage interview with Joe Rogan or backstage media, however, but the breadcrumbs about his future have been sprinkled out. UFC CEO Dana White told me post-fight that Chimaev said he's done fighting at middleweight in the immediate aftermath of the loss.
His weight cut – and whether he actually made championship weight on Friday – was a big part of the fight week narrative. It's a move that felt inevitable whether he won or lost, and he should go forward with it. I can already see Chimaev starting to waver by alluding he will see Strickland again.