Paddy Pimblett revealed he was rooting for Sean Strickland in his fight against Khamzat Chimaev, but not because of Strickland himself. Pimblett explained that his motivation was simply because Arman Tsarukyan was in Chimaev's corner. The British fighter stated, "A part of me kind of hopes Khamzat loses—just because Arman is in his corner." This reflects the ongoing tension between Pimblett and Tsarukyan.
Paddy Pimblett admitted he was pulling for Sean Strickland against Khamzat Chimaev — not out of any affection for "Tarzan," but purely because of who was standing in Chimaev's corner.
The Liverpool-born lightweight, ranked sixth in his division at 31 years old, made clear that his loyalty lay against Arman Tsarukyan rather than with Strickland. Pimblett, who carries a 23-4 record competing out of Next Generation MMA Liverpool, paraphrased his own thinking bluntly: a part of him hoped Chimaev would lose simply because Tsarukyan was cornering him. It is the latest signal that the tension between Pimblett and the Armenian contender remains very much alive.
Chimaev, the number-one ranked middleweight and tenth on the pound-for-pound list, entered the matchup as one of the division's most feared competitors. The 32-year-old, who fights out of Allstars Training Center, holds a 15-1 record and posts a remarkable 5.29 takedowns per fifteen minutes alongside a 60 percent striking accuracy — numbers that make him a genuine threat on the feet and on the mat. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, "Borz" has bulldozed most opposition in front of him.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, brought his own imposing resume into the contest. The 35-year-old American is a 31-7 fighter known for relentless volume, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute with a 76-inch reach out of an orthodox stance.
Why it matters
- Pimblett's remarks deepen the public rift between himself and Tsarukyan, which could have lightweight division implications down the line.
- Tsarukyan's presence in Chimaev's corner signals he is building relationships across divisions, adding intrigue to his own title ambitions.
- Pimblett, ranked sixth at lightweight, has motivation to keep the rivalry with Tsarukyan visible as he pushes toward the top of the division.
