Chimaev Calls Out Three Middleweights After Strickland Loss
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Khamzat Chimaev wants back in the octagon against any of four middleweights.
The former UFC champion posted on social media Monday that he is ready to face Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, Nassourdine Imavov, or Caio Borralho in his return fight. "I'm ready," Chimaev wrote, according to MMA Fighting. "Let me know when you are ready Sean, Dricus, Nassourdine, Caio."
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Chimaev lost the 185-pound title to Strickland at UFC 328 in May, his first defeat as a pro. He won the belt by beating du Plessis at UFC 319 last year. After the Strickland loss, Chimaev told Dana White he planned to move up to heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight because of the brutal weight cut, but later reversed course and called for an immediate rematch.
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Imavov has pushed for a title shot after his dominant decision win over Borralho at UFC Paris in September, per BJPenn.com. Du Plessis bounced back from the Chimaev loss with a one-sided win over Kamaru Usman at UFC Oklahoma City in July. Borralho rebounded himself with a decision over Reinier de Ridder at UFC 326 in March.
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Strickland could return by year's end after surgery for an injury he carried into the Chimaev fight. The UFC is finalizing its schedule through Abu Dhabi and New York cards, with Chimaev's return possibly landing on one of those high-profile dates.
Photo: JoeKhanMMA / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Original reporting:
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