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.
Arthur Chimaev lifted the curtain on one of the most alarming weight cuts in recent UFC memory this week, revealing in a detailed interview just how close his brother Hamzat came to a medical emergency before their UFC 328 middleweight bout against Sean Strickland on May 9.
According to Arthur, Hamzat weighed 105 kg when the Strickland fight was first announced, largely because he had been building his body toward a light heavyweight matchup with Jiri Prochazka. With just two weeks remaining before fight night, he was still sitting at 97 kg. The final stretch of the cut became dangerous: when approximately 1.2 kg still needed to come off, oxygen deprivation caused Chimaev's body to shut down entirely, forcing the team to pause the process for a full hour before they could safely continue.
The consequences carried into fight night. After making weight, Chimaev was only able to rehydrate and recover five to six kilograms before stepping into the cage, a fraction of what fighters typically restore. Arthur said the physical toll was visible by the second round, when it became apparent his brother's body had not bounced back.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, holds a 31-7-0 record and is known for a relentless output of 6.04 significant strikes per minute. The 35-year-old American out of Xtreme Couture carries a 76-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance.
Why it matters
- The account raises serious questions about how Chimaev's camp managed a 105 kg starting weight for a middleweight assignment.
- A near-blackout during the cut and minimal rehydration time likely affected Chimaev's performance and complicate any simple narrative around the result.
- The Chimaev team has formally requested a rematch with Strickland for October in Abu Dhabi, meaning the middleweight title picture could hinge on whether that booking materialises.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
