In an interview with Vadim Tikhomirov, Khamzat Chimaev's older brother Saidov (Arthur) explained the severe weight cutting issues that impacted UFC 328. When the fight was announced in March, Chimaev weighed 105 kg because he expected to face Jiri Prochazka at light heavyweight. Two weeks before UFC 328, his weight was still 97 kg. During the final cut, when 1.2 kg remained, Chimaev's body shut down and required a one-hour break before completing the weight. After weigh-ins, he only regained 5-6 kg before fight time. The team has requested a rematch with Sean Strickland at middleweight for October in Abu Dhabi.
Khamzat Chimaev's older brother and team representative, known as Arthur, has revealed the full extent of the weight-cutting crisis that compromised Chimaev's performance at UFC 328, which took place on May 9.
Speaking in an interview with Vadim Tikhomirov, Arthur explained that when the middleweight title fight was formally announced in March, Chimaev was carrying 105 kg — roughly 231 pounds — because he had been preparing for a potential meeting with Jiri Prochazka at light heavyweight rather than a middleweight championship bout. With just two weeks to go before UFC 328, his weight had only come down to 97 kg. During the final stages of the cut, Chimaev's body shut down when 1.2 kg still remained, forcing the team to take a one-hour break before he could complete the process. After making weight, he recovered just 5 to 6 kg ahead of fight time — a fraction of what fighters typically rehydrate.
Chimaev, 30 years old — no, 32 — carries a 15-1-0 record and enters the middleweight division as its ranked number-one contender and the tenth-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. The Allstars Training Center product is known for his elite grappling, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 60 percent.
Middleweight champion Sean Strickland, 35, holds a 31-7-0 record and has defended the belt with relentless volume, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute. The Xtreme Couture product, known as Tarzan, stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach.
Why it matters
- The weight crisis offers context for how Chimaev performed on fight night at UFC 328
- Chimaev's team has formally requested a rematch with Strickland, targeting October in Abu Dhabi
- A fully-prepared Chimaev at middleweight would represent a contrasting stylistic threat — elite wrestling volume against Strickland's high-output striking
Saturday, May 9, 2026
