Sonnen: Strickland is last line of defense against Chimaev's middleweight reign

Chael Sonnen predicts that if Sean Strickland loses to Khamzat Chimaev, it will mark the beginning of a dominant era for Chimaev in the UFC middleweight division. Sonnen recalls warning the UFC in 2012 about a "Russian invasion" of bearded fighters who would take all the belts, saying the only way to stop them was to deny them opportunities. As a former wrestler himself, Sonnen emphasizes that the wrestling culture from that region represents a different level of toughness and skill. He positions Strickland as the final barrier standing between Chimaev and prolonged dominance, stating that if Chimaev defeats Strickland, no one will be able to stop him for a very long time. Sonnen's comments underscore the high stakes of the potential Strickland-Chimaev matchup.