Khamzat Chimaev Wants Strickland Rematch — or Three Other Names

Khamzat Chimaev doesn't much care whether gold is on the line — he just wants a fight. Coming off the first loss of his professional career, a title-fight defeat to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 in May, the former middleweight champ took to social media to make that clear, telling Strickland to name a date and listing three backup names if the rematch doesn't happen.

Chimaev's shortlist reads like a snapshot of the entire 185-pound top tier: Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho. He said he's ready and simply wants to know when the others will be. For a fighter who's spent months publicly angling for the Strickland rematch, throwing three more names on the pile is a signal he's done waiting.

The UFC 328 result snapped a perfect run that had made Chimaev one of the sport's most avoided men. Before Strickland got the better of him, he'd never tasted defeat — a résumé that included ripping the belt away from du Plessis in a lopsided decision at UFC 319 roughly a year ago.

The Contenders Behind the Callout

Imavov has arguably the strongest case of the bunch. He was dominant in a decision win over Borralho at UFC Paris in September, exactly the kind of statement performance that forces the matchmakers' hand. If Chimaev wants a live opponent who's trending upward, Imavov fits.

Du Plessis has already rebuilt. After losing the title to Chimaev, the South African bounced back with a one-sided win over former welterweight king Kamaru Usman at UFC Oklahoma City in July. A rematch there sells itself. Borralho, meanwhile, sits at #5 with an 18-2 record and got back on track with a clear decision over Reinier de Ridder at UFC 326 in March — though that loss to Imavov complicates his pitch.

So Chimaev's move is smart: dangle four names and let demand sort it out. The Strickland rematch is the obvious commercial pick, but Imavov's momentum and du Plessis's history with Borz both make compelling alternatives. Whoever the promotion picks, Chimaev's next walk to the cage will be the first time we see how he responds to losing — and that's the fight worth watching.