Khamzat Chimaev insists he wants a middleweight rematch with Sean Strickland after losing the belt at UFC 328

Khamzat Chimaev, fresh off losing the UFC middleweight title to Sean Strickland at UFC 328, says his next move is a rematch at 185 pounds. In a statement reported by Yahoo Sports, Chimaev framed the defeat as a temporary setback and positioned the next chapter as an opportunity to correct what he views as unfinished business against his division rival.

Chimaev’s immediate path is complicated by what he has described as the physical cost of the previous fight week. According to the report, he endured a brutal weight cut for the Strickland bout and still ended up turning in an uncharacteristically lackluster performance for a fighter who has often built his momentum through pace, pressure, and confidence in the grappling exchanges.

The fight itself carries extra weight because it was for the middleweight championship. Losing the belt means Chimaev is now operating without the division’s top status, and the rematch demand effectively doubles as a way to re-enter the title picture without waiting for a longer chain of challengers. For Strickland, the prospect of facing Chimaev again also matters, because it would be another high-profile, stylistically loaded middleweight matchup in a division that often swings quickly between contenders.

In the days following the UFC 328 loss, there had been speculation that Chimaev might consider moving up to light heavyweight, where fights are contested at 205 pounds. Yahoo Sports reported those rumors, but Chimaev pushed back on them, insisting he is “definitely” gunning for Strickland again at middleweight rather than taking the easier-to-negotiate escape route to a different weight class.

Chimaev’s stated intent was blunt. The report includes his vow that next time he will aim to finish Strickland with decisive force, using a quote that echoes an aggressive, knockout-oriented plan rather than a cautious tactical reset. Even if the tone is inflammatory, the underlying message is clear: he wants to stay in the same weight class where the title fight occurred, accept the same division’s risks, and return quickly with a clearer version of his game.

The larger takeaway is how quickly Chimaev believes he can respond. Title-level fighters often take months to recalibrate, but his comments suggest he views the Strickland loss as a correctable performance issue, not a permanent decline. If the UFC pursues the rematch, it would also test whether the promotion prioritizes fighter-driven matchups over the longer, committee-like approach of letting the middleweight rankings run their full course.

For fans and for the UFC’s matchmaking department, the next question is whether Chimaev’s commitment to 185 holds up once the calendar and matchmaking realities arrive. Weight cuts can change a fighter’s preparation cycle, and moving down or up later can become more attractive when the body starts to push back. Still, for now, Chimaev is indicating that he sees the shortest road back to relevance as a direct rematch with Strickland at middleweight.

In the meantime, the sport’s practical watch list stays the same: whether the UFC confirms a date and whether the middleweight title picture makes room for a quick second meeting between the same two men. Chimaev’s insistence may set expectations, but a rematch requires agreement, timing, and a match-up that works for the champion and the promotion’s broader calendar.