Former UFC Champion Sean Strickland says letting Khamzat Chimaev go to 205 to fight would make the organization a clown show. And He might be right.
Sean Strickland just lit up Khamzat Chimaev after smashing Anthony Hernandez with a third-round TKO at UFC Houston on February 21, 2026. Strickland's calling out the idea of Khamzat jumping to light heavyweight for a title shot against Jiri Prochazka, labeling it a total clown show since Khamzat's only fought once at middleweight to snag the belt.
Strickland's got a solid point here. Khamzat Chimaev sits undefeated at 15-0 overall and 9-0 in the UFC, claiming the middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 back in August 2025, but zero title defenses yet — and now rumors point to him vacating 185 to chase 205 gold.
Strickland's resume backs up his frustration big time. The former champ improved to 30-7 with that Houston win, snapping Hernandez's eight-fight streak while holding the record for most significant strikes landed in middleweight history, and he's been pushing hard for a rematch or direct shot at the belt.
Khamzat's stats scream dominance at 185 with six knockouts, six submissions, a 5.29 takedown average per 15 minutes, and rock-solid 85% takedown defense. But Strickland argues skipping defenses to hop divisions skips the line in a stacked middleweight scene full of guys like Nassourdine Imavov and Brendan Allen waiting their turn.
Dana White's already shutting down the light heavyweight talk, insisting Khamzat defends the middleweight title first before any double-champ chase. Strickland straight-up says if the UFC green-lights Khamzat at 205 without a defense, it's unfair and damages the 185-pound division's credibility.
On the flip side, Khamzat eyeing Jiri Prochazka at light heavyweight makes sneaky sense for legacy reasons. Jiri brings wild striking power with 28 TKO wins in his 32-5-1 record, landing 5.69 significant strikes per minute, but his 0.51 takedowns per 15 minutes and 68% takedown defense could get exposed by Khamzat's elite grappling and 1.8 submission average.
Khamzat's career thrives on early finishes with nine first-round stoppages total, and moving to 205 gives him extra size while avoiding middleweight volume strikers like Strickland who could drag things out in five rounds. Plus, if Alex Pereira heads to heavyweight, the 205 belt opens up, letting Khamzat potentially become a two-division champ faster.
Strickland versus Khamzat at middleweight would be pure fire with their old training beef, including Strickland claiming he made Khamzat quit in sparring years ago. But if Khamzat pulls off the jump and grinds out Jiri, it cements him as one of the most dominant forces in UFC history across weights.
This middleweight versus light heavyweight drama is shaking up UFC rankings and title pictures hard in 2026. Strickland might be dead right about deserving that 185 shot first, but Khamzat chasing Jiri could rewrite the legacy books either way.
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