Khamzat Chimaev has voiced his belief that his nationality might have played a role in the outcome of his recent middleweight title defense. In the main event of UFC 328, Chimaev faced Sean Strickland, initially controlling the fight with his grappling. However, as the bout progressed, Chimaev struggled to maintain his early pace, with Strickland’s effective striking and pressure disrupting his game plan and limiting his takedown opportunities.
Despite these challenges, Chimaev had significant moments throughout the closely contested fight. Ultimately, the judges delivered a split decision: two scored it 48-47 for Strickland, while one judge favored Chimaev with the same score, resulting in a narrow loss for “Borz.”
Upon the announcement of the result, Chimaev appeared to accept it, even going so far as to present Strickland with the championship belt. However, more than two weeks later, the Chechen fighter has expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision, raising concerns about potential bias.
Khamzat Chimaev Suggests Judges Showed Bias in UFC 328 Loss
In a now-deleted post on X, Khamzat Chimaev shared his frustration, alleging that American bias influenced the judges’ scoring against him. He pointed out that the judges and the organization are American, with no Chechen representation.
“All judges are American, the organization is American, and no one is Chechen,” Chimaev wrote. “It’s a close fight. Who do you think will win?”
Following up on this sentiment, Chimaev clarified that he was not making excuses but was eager for a rematch with Sean Strickland, expressing his desire to finish the fight decisively.
“No excuses, I just wanna f*ck him up this sh*t trying to run away.”
“I’m waiting. Tell me when you’re ready, Sean Strickland. Next time, somebody has to be dead,” Chimaev added.
The UFC 328 marked Khamzat Chimaev’s first professional career defeat, bringing his record to 15-1. Prior to this loss, he had an undefeated 9-0 streak in the UFC, with notable victories against elite fighters such as Robert Whittaker, Gilbert Burns, and Kamaru Usman. He secured the middleweight title at UFC 319 in August 2025 by defeating Dricus Du Plessis via unanimous decision.
English Translation:
Khamzat Chimaev believes his nationality may have influenced the outcome of his UFC 328 middleweight title defense against Sean Strickland. Chimaev, who lost a close split decision to Strickland, has alleged that American bias played a role in the judges’ scoring. He stated that all the judges were American, and the organization is American, with no Chechen representation.
Chimaev initially seemed to accept the decision at the event, even placing the belt around Strickland’s waist. However, he later expressed his discontent, suggesting the fight was close and implying that the judges favored the American fighter. He has since called for a rematch, stating his intention to finish Strickland decisively in their next encounter.
This loss at UFC 328 was the first defeat of Chimaev’s professional career, altering his record to 15-1. Before this bout, he had maintained an undefeated 9-0 record within the UFC, securing wins against prominent opponents like Robert Whittaker, Gilbert Burns, and Kamaru Usman. He had claimed the middleweight championship at UFC 319 in August 2025 with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Dricus Du Plessis.