Arman Tsarukyan posted a message of support for Khamzat Chimaev following his split decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328. Tsarukyan wrote that everyone who watched knows what really happened and encouraged Chimaev to keep his head up. He expressed confidence that Chimaev will soon reclaim his championship status. The message suggests Tsarukyan believes Chimaev deserved the victory or at least performed better than the judges' decision indicated. This is a show of solidarity from one top contender to another after a controversial result. No further details about their personal relationship were mentioned.
Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan took to social media on May 10 to publicly back Khamzat Chimaev following his split decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 the previous night.
Tsarukyan, 29, expressed his belief that the judges had not properly reflected what happened inside the octagon, writing that everyone who watched the fight knows what really happened. He encouraged Chimaev to keep his head up and expressed confidence that the middleweight contender would soon be back in championship contention.
Chimaev, fighting out of the UAE for Allstars Training Center, entered the bout ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound for pound with a record of 15-1-0. The 32-year-old is one of the most physically imposing wrestlers in MMA, averaging an extraordinary 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and carrying a 60 percent striking accuracy rate. The split decision defeat hands him the first loss of his UFC career.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion fighting out of Xtreme Couture, defended his title with the narrow verdict. The 35-year-old American carries a 31-7-0 record and applies constant pressure with 6.04 significant strikes landed per minute across a 76-inch reach. His volume and durability have consistently tested opponents across championship rounds.
Tsarukyan himself is no stranger to the contender spotlight. The Russian, fighting for American Top Team, sits ranked first in the lightweight division with a 23-3-0 record. Despite competing in a different weight class, his public support for Chimaev signals a sense of camaraderie among fighters who believe a result was unjust.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's first UFC loss reshapes the middleweight title picture heading into future events
- The split decision nature of the result is likely to fuel calls for an immediate rematch
- Tsarukyan's comments reflect broader fighter sentiment that the scorecards were questionable
Saturday, May 9, 2026
