Khamzat Chimaev explained why he forgave Sean Strickland following their UFC middleweight title fight last Saturday at UFC 328.
Chimaev lost the UFC middleweight title via split decision in a war with Strickland that headlined UFC 328. The lead-up to the bout was full of nasty trash talk between the two that got extremely personal, leading to Chimaev kicking Strickland at the pre-fight press conference. But in the end, the two former training partners-turned-bitter rivals hugged it out after their five-round battle inside the Octagon.
Khamzat Chimaev Explains Rationale for Forgiving Sean Strickland After UFC 328
Taking to his Instagram stories, Chimaev explained why he decided to forgive Strickland after UFC 328. Not only did Chimaev touch gloves with Strickland before the fight and before each round, but he also shook Strickland’s hand and hugged him at the end of their 25-minute war. Not to mention, Chimaev wrapped the belt around Strickland’s waist after UFC announcer Bruce Buffer announced the challenger as the winner by split decision.
“And regarding that guy — he said a lot of unnecessary things. People were asking why I shook his hand and why I put the belt on him afterward. We don’t have the habit of talking or fighting after a loss. If we fight, we fight inside the cage, and we fought as best as we could. What Allah has decided is no longer in our control. That guy lowered his head and asked for forgiveness. If a person asks for forgiveness, I can forgive him. I’m not an oppressor so that I would refuse to forgive,” Chimaev said (via Home of Fight).
“And regarding that guy — he said a lot of unnecessary things. People were asking why I shook his hand and why I put the belt on him afterward. We
What’s Next for Khamzat Chimaev?
Immediately after UFC 328 was over, UFC president Dana White said that Chimaev told him when he left the Octagon that he was moving up to 205 lbs, which was said to be his plan all along. However, on Tuesday, Chimaev and his team officially requested a rematch with Strickland, saying they are “obsessed” over the fight and won’t accept any other match that the UFC proposes for them.
It remains to be seen if the UFC will grant Chimaev the rematch with Strickland. Typically, the promotion doesn’t give rematches to champions that had zero successful title defenses. That being said, the fight was extremely close, and many fans and media would like to see the UFC run it back. Not to mention, the first fight was arguably one of the biggest bouts in modern UFC history, so the rematch would stand to be a big fight, too.
We shall likely get some clarification on what the UFC plans to do soon, but if they plan on booking the rematch, it would make Frenchman Nassourdine Imavov the odd man out. While White said after UFC 328 that Imavov would be next in line for Strickland, he would obviously be left out on the sidelines without a dance partner once again should Chimaev earn the immediate title rematch with Strickland.
It’s also worth noting that betting odds for a potential Strickland vs. Chimaev 2 dropped on Tuesday, with Chimaev as a -205 favorite and Strickland as a +175 underdog at open.
Khamzat Chimaev Explains Forgiving Sean Strickland at UFC 328