“205” – the number has already left the MMA world dumbstruck. Add Jiri Prochazka’s name, and it’s raising alarms beyond the cage. Teasing a potential move to the light heavyweight division, Khamzat Chimaev yesterday appeared to be hinting at a possible matchup with Prochazka, the division’s second-ranked contender. The suggestion has sparked plenty of speculation. While some fans are excited, the middleweight champion’s latest tease has drawn just as much scrutiny. To former titleholder Sean Strickland, Chimaev’s move up is nothing short of a fiasco.

“Guy just f–king is a clown, dude,” Strickland told a reporter. “I mean, you want to talk about a clown? You fought once in the middleweight division. You’re moving up to fight an easier fight. And that’s what he’s doing. He’s moving up to fight an easier fight. 205 division (is) soft as f–k right now.”

Following a decision loss to Dricus Du Plessis in their rematch 12 months ago, the former middleweight champion got back in the win column with a headlining victory over Anthony Hernandez at UFC Fight Night Houston. Speaking about Khamzat Chimaev rumoredly zeroing in on a fight with Jiri Prochazka, he felt the Chechen-Russian might be avoiding tough fights at middleweight. If UFC grants him his wish, that amounts to a new debacle.

“You’re not a double champ,” Strickland remarked. “You’re not even you; you’ve won a belt once. Like if the UFC grants that request, it’ll be a f–king clown show, and I hope they don’t.”

Given that he and fighters like Dricus Du Plessis have spent so much time at this weight class, the reporter asked if reports like these bothered him. Sean Strickland replied that he genuinely hoped UFC rejects any of Chimaev’s absurd requests.

“That’s the right thing to do,” he emphasized. “I think, but again, it’s like, who wants to even give a f–k? Who wants to see Jiri? Is Jiri going to be the next one to find the belt? It’s bullsh-t, dude. He(Khamzat) doesn’t deserve it. He’s only fought for the belt once. The UFC should can it. Nobody wants to see that stupid f–king fight.”

Dana White isn’t interested in seeing Khamzat Chimaev at light heavyweight

It appears Strickland made his comments, possibly unaware of what UFC boss Dana White had said about Chimaev hinting at a 205-pound move. White wants the middleweight champion, who became a first-time UFC titleholder this past August when he defeated Du Plessis on the scorecards, to defend his belt first. Moving up a weight class without defending it even once sounded bizarre to White.

“I’d like to see him defend his title at a weight first,” White said at the Houston Fight Night post-fight presser. “Yeah, I’d like to see him defend his title before he talks about jumping around. You’re going to keep going up in weight divisions without defending? Yeah. I’d rather see him defend.”

In that regard, Strickland’s views seem more personal than indicative of any systemic issue. He had criticized Khamzat Chimaev during his post-fight interview, labeling the Russian a bully. According to him, Chimaev deliberately avoids challenging strong training partners and instead targets weaker or lower-level fighters in the gym. Strickland also shared a story of letting Chimaev try to choke him during positional grappling to highlight this behavior.

Even Chimaev’s team appears to be hinting at a different direction. His trainer, Alan do Nascimento, believes Chimaev’s first title defense could see him face either Nassourdine Imavov, Anthony Hernandez, or Sean Strickland. Now, with Strickland beating “Fluffy,” the list has narrowed to Imavov and Strickland. Fans should stay tuned, as new developments could reshape UFC’s most stacked division.