Said Chimaev, Hamzat's older brother, gave an interview explaining his brother's poor performance against Strickland at UFC 328. When the bout was announced in March, Hamzat weighed 105 kg, expecting to fight Jiri Prochazka at light heavyweight. Two weeks before UFC 328, he still weighed 97 kg. With 1-2 kg remaining to cut, his body shut down and the cut was paused for an hour before he made weight. After weighing in, Chimaev only regained 5-6 kg before the fight. Chimaev's team has requested a rematch with Strickland at middleweight for October in Abu Dhabi.
Said Chimaev, the older brother of Hamzat Chimaev, has come forward to explain his brother's underwhelming showing against Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9, pointing to a severely compromised weight cut as the root cause. The Chimaev camp has since formally requested a rematch with Strickland at middleweight, targeting an October card in Abu Dhabi.
According to Said, the weight cut situation began unraveling months before fight night. When the bout was initially announced in March, Hamzat was walking at 105 kg, having been preparing for a potential light heavyweight matchup with Jiri Prochazka. Even two weeks out from UFC 328, he still registered 97 kg on the scale. With roughly one to two kilograms left to shed, his body gave out entirely, forcing the cut to be halted for an hour before he was eventually able to make weight. The recovery window proved insufficient — Chimaev only managed to regain five to six kilograms before stepping into the cage, leaving him well short of his usual walking weight.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, carries a record of 31-7-0 and fights out of Xtreme Couture. The 35-year-old American is one of the division's most active pressure fighters, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute while working behind a 76-inch reach. He successfully defended his title against an opponent who, by his own team's account, was fighting far below full strength.
Prochazka, the number-two ranked light heavyweight, holds a record of 32-6-1 and stands six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach. The Czech finisher averages 5.69 significant strikes per minute and was the originally intended opponent before Chimaev's weight class situation shifted the matchup to middleweight.
Why it matters
- A botched weight cut offers context for Chimaev's performance and keeps his middleweight title picture alive
- Strickland's willingness to grant an October rematch would put the middleweight title back on the line quickly
- The story also raises fresh questions about Chimaev's long-term division, given he was openly preparing for light heavyweight as recently as March
Saturday, May 9, 2026
