Chael Sonnen believes a Khamzat Chimaev victory over Sean Strickland would mark the beginning of a dominant era for the Chechen-born fighter in the UFC. Sonnen recalled warning the UFC about a "Russian invasion" back in 2012, predicting that bearded fighters would come and take all the belts. As a wrestler himself, Sonnen emphasized that the wrestling culture from that region represents a different level of toughness and intensity. He described Strickland as "our last line of defense" against this wave of fighters. Sonnen warned that if Chimaev gets past Strickland, the UFC should prepare for an extended Chimaev era, as he believes it will be a very long time before anyone can defeat him.
