T.J. Dillashaw revealed details of Khamzat Chimaev's troubled weight cut before his fight with Sean Strickland. Dillashaw spoke with Sam Calavitta, who disclosed that Chimaev's team disregarded key protocol, including proper water intake—Chimaev consumed only one-quarter of the recommended amount and cut four times more weight than planned in a single session. Chimaev, who has only half a thyroid gland, was vomiting green bile and reportedly offered to forfeit one million dollars to Strickland rather than continue. Despite the ordeal, Chimaev made weight and went the distance with Strickland.
T.J. Dillashaw has lifted the curtain on what he describes as a life-threatening weight cut endured by Khamzat Chimaev ahead of his middleweight bout against Sean Strickland.
Dillashaw shared information passed to him by coach Sam Calavitta, painting a grim picture of a weight cut that went dangerously off the rails. According to those details, Chimaev's team ignored key protocols around water intake, with the fighter consuming only one-quarter of the recommended amount. In a single session, Chimaev cut four times more weight than originally planned. The consequences were severe — he was reportedly vomiting green bile and, at one point, offered to pay Strickland one million dollars to call the fight off rather than continue cutting. Dillashaw's characterization was blunt: Chimaev was on the brink of death.
A known complicating factor is that Chimaev has only half a thyroid gland, a condition that makes weight management significantly more demanding. The 30-year-old — now 32 and representing the United Arab Emirates out of Allstars Training Center — carries a 15-1 record and holds the number-one ranking in the middleweight division, as well as a top-ten pound-for-pound position. He is a high-volume wrestler, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, and finishes at a high rate when he gets fights to the mat.
Despite the ordeal, Chimaev made weight and fought the full duration against Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion. Strickland, 35, out of Xtreme Couture, holds a 31-7 record and is one of the division's most active strikers, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- The disclosure raises serious questions about weight-cut protocols and fighter safety at the elite level
- Chimaev's thyroid condition adds a layer of medical complexity that could influence how his team approaches future cuts
- As the number-one middleweight contender, Chimaev's long-term health directly impacts the division's title picture
