Sean Strickland is set to return to the octagon on February 21st against Anthony Hernandez after serving a lengthy suspension. While the fight is significant within the middleweight division, Strickland’s focus remains on staying active rather than chasing the title. He has openly criticized UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev for holding the belt without competing regularly, highlighting concerns about Chimaev’s extended inactivity.
Strickland Questions Chimaev’s Reign and Fight Frequency
Strickland expressed frustration with how the UFC has handled Chimaev’s championship run, pointing out the champion’s rare appearances and unusual privileges outside the sport. He questioned the reasons behind Chimaev’s infrequent fights and suggested outside influences contribute to the fighter’s ability to avoid competition.
“It’s kinda weird what the UFC did with Chimaev,” Strickland told ESPN MMA. “You brought a guy in that fights once a year who’s like Madonna, who gets like, how much money does that dictator give him under the table? Like, the guy doesn’t need to fight, dude. He’s best friends with a warlord. He doesn’t need to fight. Dude gets gifted G-Wagons.”
Claims of Avoiding Challengers and Holding Up the Division
Strickland further called out Chimaev for hesitating to face certain opponents, arguing that the champion waits to be forced into fights rather than actively defending the belt. Strickland criticized Chimaev’s reluctance to fight Nassourdine Imavov, describing it as contrary to the nature of competitive MMA.
“So you have somebody who is just gonna sit on a belt and wait and wait until they force him to fight. They wanted him to fight Nassourdine [Imavov], whatever the guy’s name is. He’s like, ‘Oh, I don’t wanna fight you, my brother.’ Like, what are you talking about? It’s not how the sport works, dude. Like, go fight that guy!”
Strickland Prioritizes Consistent Competition Over Title Hunting
Unlike Chimaev, Strickland emphasized his preference for continuous fights over manipulating rankings or waiting for an ideal title shot. He explained that remaining active not only builds momentum but also increases earnings significantly, even if it means risking losses.
“The middleweight division, man, from a pure money perspective, you would make more money not fighting for the belt than you would fighting for the belt,” Strickland said. “Say Chimaev goes and fights Nassourdine in six months. Well, let’s say Chimaev sprains his pinky like he normally does. Now he takes another year off. So it’s like a year off, for two years.”
“It’s like, the belt isn’t even in my brain anymore. I don’t even think about it. I’ll make significantly more money just fighting. Whereas it’s sh–ty, but you wanna wait a year and a half and not fight? Or just keep fighting and fighting good guys and maybe taking an L? I’ll just go fight good guys, maybe take an L, and I’ll triple my pay.”
Active Fighting Seen as More Profitable Than Chasing a Dormant Belt
Strickland stated that fighting regularly is more financially rewarding than waiting for bouts against an inactive champion. He pointed to the frequent injuries Chimaev claims as another reason for delays in defending the title, questioning why fans and contenders should be forced to wait.
“We’re in here to make money and I’ll make significantly more money not fighting for a belt, or waiting for Chimaev’s pinky to feel better,” he said. “It’s like every time this guy fights he has a mysterious injury. Why wait?”
For Strickland, staying active and taking on tough opponents is the best way to build a career and maintain relevance in a division where the reigning champion rarely competes. His approach contrasts sharply with Chimaev’s pattern of prolonged breaks, which has stirred frustration among fighters and fans alike.
