Masvidal: “Khamzat Isn’t That Good,” Strickland Will Win
Masvidal Believes Sean Strickland Will Give Khamzat Chimaev a Hard Time
The middleweight division is buzzing right now. And one potential matchup has got the entire MMA world talking. Khamzat Chimaev versus Sean Strickland is a fight that fans desperately want to see. And now, a big name has shared his very interesting take on how that fight would play out. Let us break it all down.
Masvidal Weighs in on the Potential Clash
First of all, Jorge Masvidal has shared his honest opinion on a potential fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland. Masvidal is a seasoned and highly respected voice in combat sports. And he did not hold back when giving his assessment. He acknowledged just how dominant Chimaev looked in his recent performance against Dricus du Plessis. That was an incredibly impressive showing from ‘Borz’. However, a hard time will be given to Chimaev by Sean Strickland if these two ever meet inside the octagon. That is Masvidal’s firm belief. And it is a take that deserves a lot of attention.
Strickland’s Win Over Hernandez Sparked Huge Interest
Furthermore, the momentum behind this potential matchup has been building rapidly. Ever since Sean Strickland beat Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston, the interest in a Chimaev versus Strickland fight has been mounting significantly. That victory reminded everyone just how dangerous and relentless ‘Tarzan’ can be inside the cage. And it immediately put his name back into the title conversation in a very serious way.
Chimaev Hints at Strickland as His Next Title Defense
Additionally, Chimaev himself has added fuel to the fire surrounding this potential fight. In a recent post on X, ‘Borz’ suggested that his next middleweight title defense could very well be against Sean Strickland. That post immediately sent the MMA world into a frenzy. Fans started debating. Analysts started picking sides. And the excitement around this potential superfight grew even bigger overnight.
A Fascinating Matchup That Could Go Either Way
So, to sum it all up, the potential clash between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated fights in recent middleweight history. Chimaev has looked absolutely unstoppable in recent outings. But Masvidal believes that Strickland brings a very unique set of problems that could seriously trouble the champion. The fight has not been officially confirmed yet. But with Chimaev hinting at it on social media and the buzz growing louder every single day, it feels like only a matter of time before this fight becomes a reality.
Jorge Masvidal Explains Why He Backs Sean Strickland to Beat Khamzat Chimaev
Jorge Masvidal has never been shy about sharing his opinions. And this time, he has delivered a very detailed and very compelling argument. He does not think Chimaev wins this fight. And he has the reasoning to back it up. Let us look at exactly what he said.
Masvidal Points to the Usman Fight as Evidence
First of all, Masvidal made his position very clear during a recent segment on the Death Row MMA podcast. He does not rate Khamzat Chimaev as highly as many others do. And he pointed directly to Chimaev’s fight against Kamaru Usman to support his argument. What followed was one of the most fascinating breakdowns of that contest that you will ever hear. Masvidal said:
“I don’t think Khamzat is all that good. Look at the Usman fight – Usman was 170 lbs, took the fight on 11 days’ notice, and funny story, I saw Usman two days before he took that fight out and about… and I thought Chimaev lost that fight. He won the first round, lost the second and third, and didn’t get more takedowns. Then got stuffed and got punched in the face. That’s a 170-pounder that is coming off the couch.”
Those words will certainly spark a huge debate among MMA fans. Masvidal essentially argued that a smaller, unprepared, and out-of-shape Usman nearly beat Chimaev. And he used that argument as the foundation for everything else he had to say.
Masvidal Backs Strickland’s Defensive Wrestling
Furthermore, Masvidal did not just stop at criticizing Chimaev. He also built a very strong case for why Sean Strickland specifically poses a massive threat to the middleweight champion. He highlighted a side of Strickland’s game that many casual fans tend to overlook completely. And that is his defensive wrestling ability. Masvidal argued that Chimaev could gas out badly during prolonged grappling exchanges against Strickland. He then went on to explain exactly why. Masvidal added:
“I don’t think [Khamzat] beats Strickland. I’m dumping the house on Strickland in that one… He beats him. I’ve seen Sean go with good wrestlers from American Top Team. Guys that wrestled their whole lives, All-Americans, national champions, and dude, this guy can wrestle defensively. He never uses his wrestling in a fight, but if you try to wrestle with him, you quickly find out this guy can wrestle back, and that costs a lot of energy and Chimaev doesn’t have the best gas tank.”
That is a brilliant and very well-reasoned argument. Masvidal is essentially saying that Strickland will drain Chimaev’s energy by defending his wrestling. And once Chimaev’s gas tank empties, Strickland’s striking will take over and dominate the fight.
Two Key Arguments That Cannot Be Ignored
So, to sum it all up, Masvidal has laid out two very clear and very powerful arguments against Chimaev in this potential fight. First, he believes that Chimaev’s performance against a cold and undersized Usman exposed real limitations in his game. Second, he believes that Strickland’s underrated defensive wrestling will neutralize Chimaev’s biggest weapon and drain his cardio in the process. These are not random opinions. These are observations from a seasoned combat sports professional who has trained and competed at the very highest level. And they deserve to be taken very seriously by anyone trying to predict how a Chimaev versus Strickland fight would actually play out.
Jorge Masvidal Previews a Potential Khamzat Chimaev vs. Bo Nickal Matchup
Jorge Masvidal clearly has some very strong opinions about Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling credentials. And it is not just the Sean Strickland matchup where he sees problems for the middleweight champion. He also has a very bold take on how a potential fight between Chimaev and Bo Nickal would play out. And once again, he did not hold back at all. Let us look at exactly what he said.
Masvidal Rates Nickal Way Above Chimaev in Wrestling
First of all, Masvidal is absolutely convinced that Bo Nickal is vastly superior to Khamzat Chimaev when it comes to pure wrestling. That is a very strong statement. But Masvidal backs it up with complete confidence. Nickal is a former three-time NCAA Division I champion. He is one of the most decorated amateur wrestlers to ever transition into MMA. And Masvidal believes that in a pure grappling exchange, Nickal would simply destroy the UFC middleweight champion. Those are powerful words from a man who knows combat sports inside out.
Masvidal Made His Prediction on The MMA Hour
Furthermore, Masvidal shared these views publicly during a 2024 appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. He previewed a potential fight between Chimaev and Nickal in his own very colorful and direct way. And he left absolutely no room for doubt about where he stands on this matchup. Masvidal said:
“Khamzat gets into wrestling with Bo, Khamzat fking loses. ‘Bo’s’ not going to gas… Could he get caught with a shot right now because he is still learning in his career? Yeah, that could happen. But other than that, he’ll break fking, whatever his fking name is. He’ll fking break the dude.”
That quote is pure Masvidal. Direct. Passionate. And completely unfiltered. He acknowledged that Nickal is still learning and developing as a mixed martial artist. But he made it crystal clear that in a wrestling battle, Chimaev would come out on the losing end against the young American prospect.
Nickal Has His Next Fight Already Lined Up
Additionally, Bo Nickal continues to build his UFC career steadily. He will next step into the octagon against Kyle Daukaus at UFC Freedom 250. That fight will give Nickal another valuable opportunity to sharpen his MMA skills and continue his development as a complete fighter. Every fight brings him one step closer to the elite level of the middleweight division.
Chimaev Returns After Ramadan
Meanwhile, Khamzat Chimaev is currently taking a break from training during Ramadan. However, he is expected to return to the gym by the end of March once Ramadan concludes. After that, the MMA world will be watching very closely to see what fight gets made for the middleweight champion next. Whether it is Sean Strickland or Bo Nickal, Masvidal clearly believes that Chimaev’s wrestling credentials will be seriously tested in both of those potential matchups.
A Champion Facing Questions About His Wrestling
So, to wrap it all up, Jorge Masvidal has now raised serious doubts about Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling in two separate and very detailed arguments. He pointed to the Usman fight as evidence of Chimaev’s limitations. And now he has gone even further by suggesting that Bo Nickal would completely dominate him on the ground. These are bold predictions from ‘Gamebred’. But they are grounded in real observations and real knowledge of the sport. The middleweight division is about to get very interesting indeed. And Khamzat Chimaev will need to silence his doubters when he returns to action later this year.
