Experts debate Strickland's takedown defense against Chimaev

Multiple training partners and analysts have offered insights into Sean Strickland's ability to get back to his feet against Khamzat Chimaev. Luke Rockhold stated that Strickland is incredibly difficult to keep down despite not being a highly technical grappler, calling him Chimaev's toughest test. Jorge Masvidal confirmed witnessing Strickland's ability to stand up even against heavyweights during training. Sharaf Davlatmurodov, who trained extensively with Strickland, noted that Strickland excels at breaking grips and creating frames to stand up, though he relies more on wrestling scrambles than technical guard work. The analysis suggests Strickland's success will depend on whether he can escape Chimaev's control at the cage and in scrambles, with comparisons drawn to how Kamaru Usman and Dricus Du Plessis previously managed against Chimaev. Experts predict the first takedown will reveal whether Strickland can effectively defend and escape.