British fighter Paddy Pimblett revealed that he supported Sean Strickland in his fight against Khamzat Chimaev primarily because Arman Tsarukyan was in Chimaev's corner. Pimblett stated, "A part of me kind of hoped that Khamzat would lose - just because Arman was in his corner." This admission highlights the personal rivalries and tensions between fighters outside of their own matchups. The comment came from Pimblett's YouTube channel following the UFC 328 main event.
Paddy Pimblett has admitted he was rooting against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, not out of admiration for Sean Strickland, but because of who was sitting in Chimaev's corner. Speaking on his YouTube channel following the May 9 event, the Liverpool lightweight revealed that the presence of Arman Tsarukyan drove him to hope Chimaev would fall short.
Pimblett, 31, competes at lightweight and currently sits sixth in the divisional rankings with a record of 23-4-0. Fighting out of Next Generation MMA Liverpool, he lands 5.49 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy and attempts 1.2 submissions per 15 minutes, marking him as a well-rounded offensive threat. His paraphrased comment was direct: a part of him wanted Chimaev to lose simply because Tsarukyan was in his corner, underlining how personal rivalries can cross divisional lines.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion at 35, entered the contest with a 31-7-0 record. The American operates out of Xtreme Couture and brings a high-output striking game, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute, backed by a 76-inch reach and 185 centimeters of height. Chimaev, ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound, carried a 15-1-0 record into the fight. The 32-year-old is one of the sport's most suffocating grapplers, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts in the same span, with a striking accuracy of 60 percent.
Why it matters
- Pimblett and Tsarukyan share an existing rivalry at lightweight, and this admission shows it extends into how Pimblett watches other divisions entirely.
- It signals the interpersonal tensions that can build between fighters outside of formally booked matchups.
- At ranked sixth, Pimblett has clear incentive to keep a close eye on Tsarukyan's alliances and movements within the lightweight picture.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
