Khamzat Chimaev seeks rematch with Sean Strickland after UFC 328 loss
MMA Fighting • 2 min read • Latest: Jun 29, 2026, 7:47 PM
Last updated Jun 29, 2026
Khamzat Chimaev is calling for an immediate rematch against Sean Strickland following his defeat at UFC 328 on May 9, 2026. Chimaev took to social media urging Strickland to accept the fight and not avoid a confrontation. While Chimaev's most recent performance included a victory over Dillon Danis, he currently faces an injury that may delay any potential rematch. Fans have expressed mixed feelings about a Strickland rematch, suggesting instead a fight with Joe Pyfer at Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
- •Chimaev lost the middleweight title to Strickland at UFC 328.
- •Chimaev requested Strickland to not avoid a rematch.
- •Chimaev is currently dealing with an injury affecting the timeline.
- •Fans showed interest in a potential fight with Joe Pyfer.
- 8:00 PMMMA Fighting — ‘The sooner this hapens, the easier it will be to breathe’: Khamzat Chimaev sends warning to Sean Strickland to accept rematch
- 7:47 PMYahoo Sports — Khamzat tells Sean Strickland ‘don’t run’ from UFC 328 rematch, best fans can do is Joe Pyfer at APEX
"NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 07: (L-R) Khamzat Chimaev of Russia kicks Sean Strickland during a face off on stage at the UFC 328 press conference at Prudential Center on May 07, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC) Khamzat Chimaev wants his runback with Sean Strickland. Chimaev lost the middleweight title to Strickland in a very close decision at UFC 328 in May. Despite UFC CEO Dana White saying after the fight that Chimaev told him he wanted to move up to light heavyweight, Chimaev’s message since the first loss of his career has been quite clear: He wants his second opportunity to face Strickland. That message continued on Monday with another social media post. “Accept the fight, don’t run, I’ll beat you anyway,” Chimaev wrote to Strickland on Twitter. “The sooner this happens, the easier it will be to breathe.” Chimaev dominated Dricus du Plessis in a completely lopsided affair to win the title at UFC 319 in August 2025. “Borz” earned his shot with a teeth-shattering submission of Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October 2024, and is now 15-1 as a pro after dropping the decision to Strickland. As a far as Strickland goes, all he’s shared with fans in regards to his next move is that he’s targeting December to get back in the octagon.
"Khamzat Chimaev wants an immediate rematch against Sean Strickland after losing his middleweight title to “Tarzan” atop the UFC 328 fight card last month in Newark. That might take a few months, thanks to this untimely injury. “Accept the fight, don’t run, I’ll beat you anyway,” Chimaev wrote on social media. “The sooner this happens, […]
Sources
External links- MMA FightingJun 29, 2026, 8:00 PM‘The sooner this hapens, the easier it will be to breathe’: Khamzat Chimaev sends warning to Sean Strickland to accept rematch
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 07: (L-R) Khamzat Chimaev of Russia kicks Sean Strickland during a face off on stage at the UFC 328 press conference at Prudential Center on May 07, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC) Khamzat Chimaev wants his runback with Sean Strickland. Chimaev lost the middleweight title to Strickland in a very close decision at UFC 328 in May. Despite UFC CEO Dana White saying after the fight that Chimaev told him he wanted to move up to light heavyweight, Chimaev’s message since the first loss of his career has been quite clear: He wants his second opportunity to face Strickland. That message continued on Monday with another social media post. “Accept the fight, don’t run, I’ll beat you anyway,” Chimaev wrote to Strickland on Twitter. “The sooner this happens, the easier it will be to breathe.” Chimaev dominated Dricus du Plessis in a completely lopsided affair to win the title at UFC 319 in August 2025. “Borz” earned his shot with a teeth-shattering submission of Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October 2024, and is now 15-1 as a pro after dropping the decision to Strickland. As a far as Strickland goes, all he’s shared with fans in regards to his next move is that he’s targeting December to get back in the octagon.
- Yahoo SportsJun 29, 2026, 7:47 PMKhamzat tells Sean Strickland ‘don’t run’ from UFC 328 rematch, best fans can do is Joe Pyfer at APEX
Khamzat Chimaev wants an immediate rematch against Sean Strickland after losing his middleweight title to “Tarzan” atop the UFC 328 fight card last month in Newark. That might take a few months, thanks to this untimely injury. “Accept the fight, don’t run, I’ll beat you anyway,” Chimaev wrote on social media. “The sooner this happens, […]
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