Following Khamzat Chimaev's split decision defeat to Sean Strickland at UFC 328, Arman Tsarukyan took to social media to offer words of encouragement. Tsarukyan wrote that Chimaev fought hard and that everyone who watched knows what truly happened in the cage. He urged the defeated fighter to keep his head up and predicted that Chimaev would reclaim championship gold soon. The message included supportive emojis and referred to Chimaev as 'champion' despite the loss. Tsarukyan's public backing demonstrates the camaraderie among elite fighters even across weight classes and competitive rivalries.
Arman Tsarukyan reached out publicly to Khamzat Chimaev on social media in the wake of Chimaev's split decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9, offering a message of solidarity to the defeated contender.
Tsarukyan, the 29-year-old Russian lightweight ranked first in his division, paraphrased the sentiment that Chimaev competed hard and that informed observers understood what truly unfolded inside the cage. He urged Chimaev to keep his head up and expressed confidence that the fighter he called "champion" would return to claim title gold. The post included supportive emojis alongside the encouraging words.
Chimaev, 32, fighting out of the UAE under the Allstars Training Center banner, entered UFC 328 as the number-one ranked middleweight and the number-ten pound-for-pound fighter in the world. His record now stands at 15-1. A relentless wrestler who averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and finishes at a striking accuracy of 60 percent, Chimaev had long been positioned as the sport's most dangerous contender at 185 pounds before the judges' scorecards went against him.
Strickland, now 31-7, defended his middleweight title via the narrow split verdict. The 35-year-old American out of Xtreme Couture is an elite volume striker who lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute, and his 76-inch reach proved a consistent factor in keeping opponents at range.
Tsarukyan himself operates at lightweight with a 23-3 record and averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes, making his appreciation for Chimaev's grappling-heavy style entirely understandable.
Why it matters
- Chimaev drops to 15-1 but retains elite contender status as the former number-one middleweight ranked in the top ten pound-for-pound
- Strickland's split decision retention keeps the middleweight title picture competitive and a rematch conversation plausible
- Tsarukyan's cross-divisional public support highlights the broader respect Chimaev commands among ranked fighters despite the defeat
Saturday, May 9, 2026
