Sean Strickland has claimed that UFC welterweight Yaroslav Amosov possesses superior grappling to Khamzat Chimaev. The outspoken middleweight offered the comparison as a strong endorsement of Amosov's wrestling credentials.
Sean Strickland has weighed in on the grappling credentials of UFC welterweight Yaroslav Amosov, declaring that Amosov's wrestling is superior to that of Khamzat Chimaev — a striking claim given Chimaev's reputation as one of the division's most feared grapplers.
Strickland, the reigning UFC middleweight champion, carries a 31-7-0 record and has built his name primarily on his high-volume striking, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute with a 76-inch reach. The 35-year-old American out of Xtreme Couture is no stranger to bold public statements, and this latest comparison lands firmly in that tradition.
Chimaev, currently ranked number one at middleweight and tenth on the pound-for-pound list, is widely regarded as one of the most complete grapplers in the sport. The 32-year-old out of Allstars Training Center holds a 15-1-0 record and averages an imposing 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, with 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes to go along with 60 percent striking accuracy.
Amosov, the 32-year-old Ukrainian competing at welterweight, owns a 30-1-0 record and presents a compelling statistical case for Strickland's argument. He averages 4.64 takedowns per 15 minutes and a remarkable 4.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes — more than double Chimaev's submission volume — with 47 percent striking accuracy across his career.
Why it matters
- Strickland's endorsement draws attention to Amosov as a legitimate elite grappler on the global stage
- Amosov's submission attempt rate of 4.6 per 15 minutes stands well above Chimaev's 1.8, lending some statistical weight to the comparison
- The remarks could elevate Amosov's profile ahead of any future high-profile welterweight matchmaking
