Khamzat Chimaev appears determined to secure a rematch with Sean Strickland as soon as possible. For the unversed, the majority of the fans expected Chimaev to overwhelm Strickland in their UFC 328 middleweight title showdown. Instead, the American delivered one of the best performances of his career, battling through adversity to earn a razor-close split-decision victory.
The win handed Chimaev the first loss of his professional MMA career and saw Strickland reclaim the middleweight championship, becoming a two-time titleholder in the process. The victory, however, came at a high cost. Strickland suffered a broken nose in the opening round and entered the fight while dealing with a lingering shoulder injury.
Following the event, the champion revealed during the UFC 328 post-fight press conference that he intended to take some time off, citing the demanding schedule that had kept him in training camp for much of the previous six months. During that stretch, Strickland competed in back-to-back high-profile bouts against Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston and Chimaev at UFC 328 in New Jersey.
While Strickland has made it clear that recovery is his immediate priority, Chimaev appears unwilling to sit on the sidelines and wait indefinitely. In the aftermath of UFC 328, there was speculation that the Chechen star could move up to light heavyweight after reportedly enduring a grueling 44-pound weight cut that may have affected his performance against Strickland.
However, Chimaev’s latest comments suggest his focus remains firmly on reclaiming the middleweight title. That message continued on Monday when Chimaev issued another challenge to the champion on social media. Taking to X, he wrote, “Accept the fight, don’t run, I’ll beat you anyway. The sooner this happens, the easier it will be to breathe.”
Khamzat Chimaev continues to call out Sean Strickland for a rematch. 👀
Khamzat also said in one of his post-fight interviews that he wants the rematch to take place in Abu Dhabi, which is expected to host the event in October. 🇦🇪
via: @KChimaev pic.twitter.com/o7zfjt2Buh
— MMA Pros Pick (@MMA_PROS_PICK_) June 29, 2026
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There is some encouraging news for Chimaev on that front. Although Strickland is currently recovering from multiple injuries, the reigning middleweight champion has no intention of remaining inactive for an extended period and is already targeting a return before the end of 2026. Responding to a fan on X, Strickland revealed his tentative timeline, writing, “We’re looking at a December return. Just can’t become a fat POS while I heal up, haha.”
As for who could be standing across from Strickland next, many fans have called for an immediate rematch with Chimaev, a fight the Chechen has openly pushed for as well. However, the champion has made it clear that he believes title shots should be earned through merit rather than star power. In Strickland’s view, the next opportunity should go to Nassourdine Imavov, who sits near the top of the middleweight rankings despite having previously lost to him.
🚨 Sean Strickland says Nassourdine Imavov is next in line for a title shot 👀
“[Imavov] is next. I’ll take a little breather, support my boy Alex [Pereira] at the White House. Give me a little time, let my broken nose heal and let’s get back in there.”pic.twitter.com/khpgsqZ2jZ
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 10, 2026
Imavov currently holds the No. 3 spot in the Meta UFC middleweight rankings and is riding a six-fight unbeaten streak. Interestingly, his most recent loss came against Strickland in a short-notice light heavyweight bout at UFC Fight Night 217 in January 2023, making a title fight between the two an intriguing storyline.
Of course, Imavov is not the only contender in the mix. A high-stakes clash between Dricus du Plessis and Kamaru Usman is scheduled to headline UFC Oklahoma City on July 18, and both men hold victories over Strickland. Whether the UFC opts for Imavov, the winner of du Plessis vs. Usman, or grants Chimaev an immediate rematch, the middleweight title picture remains wide open.
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