Chimaev's brother confirms severe weight cut caused poor performance against Strickland

Vadim Tikhomirov conducted an interview with Said, Hamzat Chimaev's older brother, who explained that a brutal weight cut was responsible for Chimaev's poor showing against Strickland. When the fight was announced in March, Chimaev weighed 105 kg, expecting to fight Prochazka at light heavyweight. Two weeks before UFC 328, he was at 97 kg. During the final weight cut with 1.2 kg remaining, Chimaev's body shut down and required a one-hour break before completing the cut. After weigh-ins, he only gained 5-6 kg before fight time. The team has requested a rematch with Strickland at middleweight in October in Abu Dhabi.