Arthur Chimaev, Khamzat's brother, disclosed in an interview with Vadim Tikhomirov that Khamzat experienced serious health complications during his weight cut. When Khamzat had only 1.2 kg left to lose, his body shut down and he nearly lost consciousness due to oxygen deficiency, requiring a one-hour break during the cut. Khamzat had been preparing to fight Jiri Prochazka at light heavyweight when UFC asked him to face Strickland at middleweight instead, forcing him to cut from 105 kg to 84 kg. After weigh-ins, Khamzat only regained 5-6 kg before the fight, far less than typical rehydration. The team has requested a rematch with Strickland for October in Abu Dhabi.
Details of a harrowing weight cut for Khamzat Chimaev have emerged in the days following UFC 328, with his brother Arthur revealing in an interview with Vadim Tikhomirov that the fighter came dangerously close to losing consciousness during the process.
According to Arthur Chimaev, Khamzat's body effectively shut down when he had just 1.2 kilograms remaining to shed, suffering from oxygen deficiency severe enough to require a one-hour pause in the cut. The situation was made considerably worse by a late change from the UFC, which shifted Chimaev away from a planned light heavyweight bout against Jiri Prochazka and instead matched him against Sean Strickland at middleweight. That switch forced him to cut from 105 kg down to 84 kg. After clearing the scales, Chimaev recovered only five to six kilograms before walking into the cage — well short of the rehydration a fighter of his size would typically achieve.
Chimaev, 32, carries a 15-1-0 record and holds the number one middleweight ranking as well as a top-ten pound-for-pound spot in the UFC. Known as "Borz," the UAE-based fighter is among the sport's most efficient wrestlers, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a 60 percent striking accuracy rate.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion at 35 years old, owns a 31-7-0 record and fights out of Xtreme Couture. The American known as "Tarzan" throws volume at 6.04 significant strikes per minute and carries a 76-inch reach.
Prochazka, the fighter Chimaev had originally been preparing for, is ranked second at light heavyweight with a 32-6-1 record. The Czech striker stands six-foot-three and lands 5.69 significant strikes per minute with 55 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- The severe rehydration deficit raises questions about the competitive fairness of the late weight class change.
- Chimaev's team has formally requested a rematch with Strickland, targeting October in Abu Dhabi.
- A healthy Chimaev versus Strickland rematch would pit the division's top contender against its champion with fresh context around the first meeting.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
