Chimaev nearly lost consciousness during weight cut, gained only 5-6 kg overnight

Hamzat Chimaev's brother Arthur provided extensive details about the troubled weight cut before UFC 328 in an interview. Chimaev weighed 105 kg when the Strickland fight was announced, as he had been preparing for a light heavyweight bout with Jiri Prochazka. Two weeks before the fight he was still at 97 kg. During the final stages of the cut, when 1.2 kg remained, Chimaev's body shut down due to oxygen deprivation and they had to pause for an hour before continuing. After weighing in, Chimaev only managed to regain 5-6 kg before the fight, and it became clear in the second round that his body had not recovered. The team has requested a rematch with Strickland for October in Abu Dhabi.