'All Fighters Are Better Than Strickland' - Khamzat Chimaev Fires Fresh Shot at UFC Champion

Following his title loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328, the Chechen had been pushing for another shot, with his camp arguing that the weight cut ultimately cost him the belt.

The UFC, however, appears to have had other plans. Rather than run back Chimaev and Strickland, the promotion has booked the champion against No. 3-ranked middleweight Nassourdine Imavov. When Chimaev was asked about the matchup, the 32-year-old was as blunt as ever. While acknowledging Imavov's improved striking could give Strickland problems, Chimaev couldn't resist taking another sly shot at the man who took his title.

Khamzat Chimaev Doesn't See Sean Strickland as the Better Fighter

For a while, the UFC middleweight title seemed like it was not going anywhere, around Chimaev's waist. His UFC 319 title fight against Dricus du Plessis only strengthened that belief, with "Borz" seemingly cementing his position at the top of the division. That was until he ran into former training partner Strickland at UFC 328 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

The result? Strickland recaptured the title in what could go down as one of the year's biggest upsets, using his trademark striking to edge Chimaev by split decision. The fight once again reminded the MMA community that the "sweet science" can neutralize even the best grapplers in the sport. But for "Borz," the loss clearly remains difficult to shake. The 32-year-old is still replaying the fight in his head, trying to figure out how it slipped away.

Now, with reports emerging of a December title fight between Strickland (31-7-0) and Imavov, Chimaev has given his take. During a recent interview, Adam Zubayraev, the former champion, admitted he expects a tough fight and backed the French-Russian contender to get the job done.

"It's a tough fight. I hope that since their fight a couple of years ago, (Nassourdine) Imavov has improved his striking and will outstrike him."

Khamzat Chimaev on Sean Strickland's Durability 

Clearly, Chimaev's faith lies with Imavov (17-4-0, 1NC). However, his assessment wasn't entirely dismissive of his former training partner turned bitter rival. In fact, he acknowledged exactly what could make Strickland dangerous once again.

"He's a very tough guy; if he outlasts Imavov, it's going to be tough. If Imavov is feeling good cardio-wise, technically, I think Imavov is much better than him." Then came the sly jab at the outspoken American - 

"All fighters are better than (Strickland). All fighters are better than him. I replayed the fight in my head a thousand times. Before the fight, I couldn't even imagine him beating me."

That last admission perhaps explains why Chimaev was so eager to get another crack at Strickland. The loss wasn't supposed to happen in his mind, and even months later, the former champion still seems to be wrestling with that reality.

Chimaev Hasn't Let the Loss Change Him

For someone who spent months chasing an immediate rematch, Chimaev's mindset after the defeat is surprisingly matter-of-fact. As the fighter admitted, there was no dramatic drop in motivation, no prolonged period of questioning whether he still belonged at the top. At least according to the former champion, he simply went back to work.

"Honestly, after the loss, I didn't really think about it much. I didn't really think about the fact that I lost, or that I lost some motivation after the loss," Chimaev (15-1-0) said. "It's the same as before. I go to work, I train, I do my thing. If it's meant to be, we'll take the belt back."

That doesn't mean the loss has been forgotten. Quite the opposite. Chimaev has already made it clear that he wants another opportunity against Strickland, and he said he wanted to run it back almost immediately after leaving the cage. He has also taken responsibility for the fight going to the judges in the first place.

"The judges' decision? That's still my fault. I should have finished him; then there wouldn't have been any questions," he added.

However, the problem is that the UFC doesn't appear keen to hand him the opportunity to finish it. With Imavov seemingly next in line for the champ, Chimaev has been pushed further down the queue despite his repeated calls for another shot.