Khamzat Chimaev might finally be stepping out of the rut he was stuck in after months of inactivity and injury. The middleweight champion was on a roll in the UFC, boasting an unblemished record. Former champions Dricus du Plessis and Robert Whittaker could barely put up a fight. So, who’s next?

It seems, it will be another former 185-pound kingpin challenging Chimaev. For many, Nassourdine Imavov was the obvious choice for Chimaev’s maiden title defense. But as has been a pattern with the UFC recently, the opportunity might go to the most vocal contender instead of the most deserving one.

A source close to Chimaev has all but confirmed that former champion Sean Strickland will vie for Chimaev’s title next, and it might happen a lot sooner than you would expect.

“Whoever is managing Sean’s schedule needs to cancel all his podcast recordings after May 9 because you can’t talk into a mic with a wired shut jaw,” wrote Adam Zubayraev on X.

Zubayraev is one of the standout MMA journalists from Russia. Over the years, he has built a strong camaraderie with the likes of Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and even ‘Borz’, through his interviews and podcast sessions. Now, in his latest X post, he brutally slammed Sean Strickland.

And surely, Zubayraev may have the reasons for it. Since his victory over Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston, ‘Tarzan’ has been very vocal about wanting a title shot. To that end, Strickland is mocking and levying unsavory allegations against Chimaev.

This is nothing new. Time and again, ‘Tarzan’ has spoken against people coming from the Russian and neighboring regions. But this time, they seemingly had enough. And in the process, Zubayraev may have leaked Strickland’s upcoming bout against ‘Borz.’ He noted that May 9 could be the possible date, which aligns with the UFC 328 event, set to go down at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Chimaev wanted to make his first title defense against Strickland. Given that he and Imavov share similar roots, he was not too keen on fighting the Dagestani-French star.

In an update not as blatantly obvious as Zubayraev’s, ‘Tarzan’ in a separate Instagram post, teased that he’s fighting for the belt next. “Its been a fun dive weekend but back to work. Te–orist to fight, belts to be won,” he captioned a video of him snorkeling.

So, the latest leak from Zubayraev is ultimately fueling the rumors surrounding their upcoming fight. On that note, who actually has the upper hand in this potential fight? According to an ex-BMF champion, it’s Strickland.

Jorge Masvidal is confident that Sean Strickland beats Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev has been on a dominating run in the UFC, with finishes and unanimous decision victories. However, there is one fight where he seemingly struggled: the UFC 294 bout against Kamaru Usman.

Although Chimaev beat Usman via majority decision, it showed holes in his fighting style as ‘Borz’ struggled in the later rounds. Citing that performance, former UFC BMF champion Jorge Masvidal places his bet on Sean Strickland in a potential fight against Chimaev.

“I don’t think Khamzat is all that good,” said Masvidal on the Deathrow podcast. “Look at the Usman fight. Usman was 170 lbs, took the fight on 11 days’ notice, and I thought Chimaev lost that fight. I don’t think Khamzat beats Strickland. I’m putting all my money on Strickland for that one. I’m dumping the house on Strickland.”

Chimaev’s gas tank has been questioned more than once. Against Usman, and long before that, against Gilbert Burns. When Chimaev faces an opponent who can match his intensity, he struggles. Usman had the wrestling credentials, and Burns was matching him blow for blow.

‘Borz’ is a much more evolved fighter now compared to when he fought Burns. He sticks to his game plan rather than trade recklessly. But if anyone can trash-talk him into fighting with reckless abandon, it is Strickland.

The former champion is also a highly technical fighter with decent wrestling skills. Plus, his much-discussed teep kicking game can cause problems for Chimaev. You can expect Strickland to go for the body early to take some wind out of the Chechen’s sails and halt his grappling pressure.

Even though Chimaev struggled against Usman, one cannot overlook his performance against Dricus du Plessis, where he controlled the bout for over 21 minutes. That said, the upcoming UFC middleweight championship fight between ‘Borz’ and Strickland is yet to be announced, and the date remains speculation.

If it actually comes to fruition, do you think Strickland’s more than a decade-long experience could outclass Chimaev? Let us know in the comments below!