Chimaev vows to chase Strickland 'anywhere,' even up a weight class

Hamzat Chimaev (32, UAE), the former UFC middleweight champion, has again declared his determination to secure a rematch with Sean Strickland (35, United States) — the man who handed him the first loss of his career — saying he will follow Strickland to a higher weight class if necessary.

In an interview with MMA Fighting published Friday, Chimaev was asked what he would do if Strickland moved up to light heavyweight. "If he goes up to 205 pounds, I'll go up too," Chimaev said. "He can't run from me."

He made clear he would move all the way to heavyweight if that is what it takes to make the rematch happen, regardless of which division Strickland competes in.

The driving force behind Chimaev's fixation is revenge for the defeat he suffered at UFC 328 in May. Fighting as the reigning middleweight champion, Chimaev lost his title to Strickland by split decision — the first loss of his professional career after 15 consecutive victories since his MMA debut.

Immediately after the fight, Chimaev had considered a weight-class change. According to UFC CEO Dana White, Chimaev said shortly after the loss that he no longer wanted to fight at middleweight and was interested in moving up to light heavyweight.

He soon reversed course, however. Chimaev's camp told ESPN that he wanted only a rematch with Strickland and would not accept any other bout. His team even used the word "obsessed" to describe his desire for the rematch.

On Oct. 5, Chimaev publicly challenged Strickland on social media, offering $1 million to fight him anywhere — inside or outside the UFC octagon. The offer was a personal one from Chimaev, however, and not an official purse negotiation sanctioned by the UFC.

In the interview, Chimaev also made no secret of the financial motivation behind his push for a rematch. He said a fight with Strickland would command a large purse, emphasizing the bout's high commercial appeal.

The two fighters trained together in the past, but their relationship soured over disputes during sparring sessions and a series of public exchanges. Ahead of UFC 328, the promotion deployed additional security personnel to prevent a physical confrontation between the two camps.

Whether a rematch materializes remains uncertain. Nassourdine Imavov of France has been mentioned as a potential opponent for Strickland's first title defense, and Strickland is currently at odds with the UFC over his fight purse.

Strickland has indicated he could vacate the championship belt and move up to light heavyweight to fulfill the remainder of his UFC contract if negotiations do not go smoothly.

While avenging his first loss remains Chimaev's top priority, he has also said that if Strickland and Imavov fight, he would be open to facing whichever of the two comes out on top.