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

Arthur Chimaev provided detailed information about his brother Khamzat's weight cut struggles before UFC 328 in an interview with Vadim Tikhomirov. When 1.2 kg remained, Khamzat's body shut down due to oxygen deprivation, forcing an hour-long pause before continuing. Khamzat expressed uncertainty about fighting in such condition, and his second-round performance reflected his body's failure to recover. The fighter had agreed to face Jiri Prochazka at 93 kg but accepted a late change to fight Strickland at 84 kg, requiring a cut from 105 kg. Two weeks before the fight Khamzat weighed 97 kg, but by March 13 was back at 105 kg. After weigh-ins, he only regained 5-6 kg instead of a typical recovery. The team has requested a rematch with Strickland for October in Abu Dhabi.