Robert Whittaker believes Khamzat Chimaev will easily take down and finish Sean Strickland in a potential matchup. Whittaker noted that Dricus du Plessis took down Strickland multiple times, and Chimaev is a significantly better wrestler with superior ground control. However, Whittaker acknowledged that Strickland's jab and his tendency to lift his knee while jabbing could create problems for Chimaev's takedown attempts. Whittaker warned that if Chimaev times his shot poorly, he could run straight into Strickland's knee, which would cause trouble for anyone. Whittaker's analysis draws on his own experience fighting both fighters.
Robert Whittaker has gone on record predicting that Khamzat Chimaev would take down and finish Sean Strickland if the two middleweights were to meet, offering an assessment grounded in his own firsthand experience against both men.
Whittaker pointed to Dricus du Plessis as a reference point, noting that the current number-two middleweight contender took Strickland down multiple times in their fight. Du Plessis, a 32-year-old South African fighting out of Team CIT, carries a 23-3-0 record and averages 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes — a respectable grappling output. Whittaker's argument is that Chimaev operates at a different level entirely in that department.
Chimaev, ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound at 32 years old, backs that claim up with the numbers. The UAE-based Allstars product holds a 15-1-0 record and averages a remarkable 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, more than double du Plessis's rate. His striking accuracy sits at 60 percent, and he attempts 1.8 submissions per 15 minutes, making him a well-rounded threat once a fight hits the mat.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion at 35 years old, brings a 31-7-0 record and is among the busiest strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. Whittaker did not dismiss the champion's chances entirely. He specifically flagged Strickland's jab and the habit of lifting his knee while throwing it as a genuine danger to Chimaev's takedown timing — warning that a mistimed shot could see Chimaev walk directly into that knee.
Why it matters
- Chimaev is the division's top-ranked contender, making this matchup a logical next title shot scenario
- Whittaker has shared the cage with both men, lending his analysis unusual credibility
- The stylistic contrast — Chimaev's elite wrestling versus Strickland's high-volume striking — sits at the heart of the debate
