Sean Strickland Reveals His Plan: Wants to Fight Khamzat!
Rivalry Brewing Between Strickland and Chimaev
A rivalry has emerged between Sean Strickland and UFC star Khamzat Chimaev after the former champion claimed he was the superior fighter during their sparring sessions at Xtreme Couture. Chimaev was quick to respond, asserting that Strickland is lying and that he actually dominated him in the gym. This back-and-forth might explain why Chimaev feels so confident about a potential octagon clash with Strickland, who is currently ranked first in the middleweight division.
Strickland’s Immediate Focus
Despite the heated exchanges, Sean Strickland isn’t ready to face Khamzat just yet. Given his history with Israel Adesanya and Dricus du Plessis, along with a recent victory over Paulo Costa, Strickland has a compelling case for the next title shot after UFC 305. He aims to face the winner of du Plessis vs. Adesanya – and upon winning, defend the middleweight belt against Khamzat.
– “I forced (Khamzat) to retire after COVID,” Sean Strickland wrote on Instagram. “I’m going to fight for the belt then he can get (beaten)…”
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Sean Strickland says he's down to fight Khamzat Chimaev after he fights for the title:
"I made [Khamzat] retire after COVID. I'm fighting for the belt then he can get the smoke."#UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/HTcRq98Eqo
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 22, 2024
Robert Whittaker’s Resurgence
One potential obstacle in Strickland’s plans is Robert Whittaker. “The Reaper” has delivered two strong performances since his loss to middleweight champion du Plessis at UFC 290 last year. His spectacular knockout of Ikram Aliskerov at UFC Saudi Arabia might have secured him the next title shot.
Khamzat’s Path to a Title Shot
Should Khamzat recover from his health issues and defeat a ranked middleweight this year, he could leapfrog both Strickland and Whittaker in the queue for the next title shot. Exciting times are ahead for the middleweight division!
