Dustin Poirier and Jorge Masvidal have publicly acknowledged Sean Strickland's high-level wrestling abilities ahead of his fight with Chimaev. Poirier stated that good wrestlers he knows who have trained with Strickland confirm he is very strong and difficult to hold down in grappling exchanges. Masvidal added that while Chimaev represents a different level from Strickland's previous opponents, Strickland has handled those closer to Chimaev's caliber well. Masvidal personally witnessed Strickland training with heavyweights and emphasized how difficult it is to keep him on the ground. Both fighters agree Strickland's defensive wrestling and ability to get back to his feet are elite-level skills.
Two veteran UFC standouts have gone on record to vouch for Sean Strickland's wrestling credentials ahead of the middleweight champion's upcoming bout with Khamzat Chimaev.
Dustin Poirier, the 37-year-old American Top Team lightweight with a 30-10 record, cited feedback from high-level wrestlers in his training circle who have rolled with Strickland firsthand. According to Poirier, those grapplers describe the champion as remarkably strong and extremely difficult to keep pinned during exchanges. Jorge Masvidal, the 41-year-old veteran carrying a 35-17 record and also training out of American Top Team, offered a similar assessment drawn from personal observation. Masvidal has watched Strickland work with heavyweights on the mat and came away convinced that getting him to stay down is a near-impossible task.
Masvidal also acknowledged that Chimaev represents a step beyond the opposition Strickland has faced previously, but argued the champion has acquitted himself well against fighters in that upper tier of grappling threat.
Strickland, 35, holds a 31-7 record and carries a 76-inch reach into the middleweight title picture from his base at Xtreme Couture. He lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute and averages just 0.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes, numbers that reflect a fighter who prefers to stay upright and work on the feet rather than seek finishes on the canvas.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's grappling has been one of the most discussed threats heading into the fight, making Strickland's mat defense a central storyline.
- Both Poirier and Masvidal speak from direct observation rather than speculation, lending weight to the assessment.
- Strickland's ability to return to his feet quickly could neutralize one of the most significant advantages Chimaev is expected to carry into the cage.
