Arman Tsarukyan reacts to Khamzat Chimaev's loss at UFC 328

Arman Tsarukyan took to social media the day after UFC 328 to publicly back Khamzat Chimaev following the middleweight contender's split decision defeat to Sean Strickland on May 9, 2026.

Tsarukyan, the top-ranked lightweight contender, posted a message expressing solidarity with Chimaev after the loss. The 29-year-old Russian, who competes out of American Top Team, carries a 23-3 record and has established himself as one of the most dangerous fighters in the 155-pound division. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, Tsarukyan averages 3.85 significant strikes per minute and lands at a 50 percent accuracy rate, also threatening consistently with 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Chimaev, now 15-1, had entered UFC 328 as the top-ranked middleweight contender and the number-ten fighter on the pound-for-pound rankings. The 32-year-old from the United Arab Emirates, who trains out of Allstars Training Center, stands six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach and is one of the sport's most complete fighters, landing 4.04 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 60 percent accuracy while adding 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes.

In his post, Tsarukyan acknowledged the difficulty of the fight, suggested that attentive viewers understood the full picture of what occurred, and urged Chimaev to stay confident, predicting that "Borz" would reclaim championship gold before long.

Why it matters

• Chimaev drops from the top of the middleweight contender rankings after a split decision loss, reshaping the 185-pound title picture
• Tsarukyan's public show of support highlights a notable cross-divisional bond between two of the UFC's elite fighters
• With Chimaev still holding elite grappling and striking credentials, the manner of the split decision will fuel debate about his path back to a title shot