Paddy Pimblett revealed he was supporting Sean Strickland at UFC 328 specifically because Arman Tsarukyan was in Khamzat Chimaev's corner. The Liverpool fighter openly stated, "A part of me kind of hopes Khamzat loses—just because Arman is in his corner." This admission highlights the ongoing tension between Pimblett and Tsarukyan. The comment was made on Pimblett's YouTube channel. It suggests personal rivalries influenced fan allegiances during the high-profile middleweight title fight. Pimblett's honesty about his bias adds another layer to the complex web of relationships within the UFC lightweight and welterweight divisions.
Paddy Pimblett admitted on his YouTube channel that he found himself cheering for Sean Strickland at UFC 328 for one specific reason: Arman Tsarukyan was working the corner for Khamzat Chimaev. The Liverpool fighter was candid about the conflict, acknowledging that part of him wanted Chimaev to lose simply because of who was in his corner.
Pimblett, ranked sixth in the UFC lightweight division at 31 years old, carries a 23-4 record fighting out of Next Generation MMA Liverpool. The Englishman lands 5.49 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy and is an active submission threat, averaging 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes. His tension with Tsarukyan has been a notable subplot in the lightweight division, and his comments make clear that rivalry extends beyond their own potential matchup.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, came in at 31-7-0. The 35-year-old American out of Xtreme Couture is one of the busiest strikers in the division, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute, and carries a 76-inch reach. He faced Chimaev, the number-one middleweight contender, who entered at 15-1-0 and ranks tenth pound-for-pound. The 32-year-old, representing the United Arab Emirates and training out of Allstars Training Center, is an elite wrestler averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes with 60 percent striking accuracy.
Why it matters
- Pimblett's comments reveal that the Tsarukyan rivalry is shaping alliances beyond their own weight class
- The lightweight and middleweight divisions overlap socially, with cornering relationships influencing fighter dynamics
- Pimblett at number six in the lightweight rankings has clear motivation to keep tensions with Tsarukyan in the public conversation
Saturday, May 9, 2026
