Arthur Chimaev, Khamzat's brother, provided detailed information about the troubled weight cut in an interview with Vadim Tikhomirov. When 1.2 kg remained, Khamzat's body failed and they were forced to pause for an hour due to health concerns before completing the cut. Khamzat nearly lost consciousness due to oxygen deprivation and body shutdown. Originally, UFC had arranged for Khamzat to fight Jiri Prochazka at 205 lbs with a signed contract, but was then asked to take the Strickland fight at 185 lbs instead. Khamzat agreed and attempted to cut from 231 lbs to 185 lbs. Two weeks before the fight he weighed 214 lbs, and by March 13 he was 231 lbs. By fight time, he had only regained 11-13 pounds. The team has requested a rematch with Strickland for October in Abu Dhabi.
Khamzat Chimaev came dangerously close to losing consciousness during his weight cut ahead of his recent middleweight bout against Sean Strickland, according to his brother and teammate Arthur Chimaev, who spoke in detail to journalist Vadim Tikhomirov.
Arthur revealed that the cut totaled approximately 21 kilograms, with Khamzat entering the process at 231 pounds just two weeks out from the fight — a period during which he still weighed 214 pounds. When only 1.2 kilograms remained, his body effectively shut down. The team was forced to pause the cut for a full hour due to serious health concerns, with Khamzat suffering from oxygen deprivation that brought him to the edge of unconsciousness. By fight time, he had recovered only 11 to 13 pounds of the weight he had shed.
Arthur also disclosed that the matchup itself came together under unusual circumstances. The UFC had originally arranged for Khamzat to meet Jiri Prochazka at 205 pounds under a signed contract, but the organization then asked him to step in against Strickland at 185 pounds instead. Khamzat accepted.
Khamzat Chimaev, the 32-year-old UAE-based fighter representing Allstars Training Center, carries a 15-1-0 record and holds the number-one middleweight ranking alongside a top-ten pound-for-pound position. He is one of the division's most aggressive wrestlers, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, and lands strikes at a 60 percent accuracy rate.
Strickland, the current middleweight champion, is 35 years old and fights out of Xtreme Couture. The American holds a 31-7-0 record and is known for his relentless volume, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute with a 76-inch reach.
Prochazka, who had been the originally targeted opponent, is ranked second at light heavyweight with a 32-6-1 record. The Czech fighter is six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach and lands nearly 5.7 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- Khamzat's team has formally requested a rematch with Strickland, targeting October in Abu Dhabi
- The severity of the cut raises questions about whether 185 pounds remains a viable weight class for Chimaev long-term
- A potential Prochazka bout at 205 pounds, previously under contract, remains unresolved
