Ali Akbar Rosady
Former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion and prominent analyst Daniel Cormier has identified Sean Strickland as a formidable and "difficult" potential opponent for reigning UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, following Strickland’s impressive performance at UFC Houston. Strickland secured a third-round knockout victory over Anthony Hernandez on Saturday, subsequently issuing a direct challenge to the undefeated Chimaev for the middleweight title. Chimaev, who claimed the championship in August with a dominant decision win against Dricus du Plessis, has maintained an unblemished professional record and rarely encountered significant adversity during his UFC tenure.
Cormier, providing his expert analysis on his YouTube channel, elaborated on Strickland’s recent resurgence and the potential implications for the middleweight landscape. "He calls out Khamzat Chimaev, he starts talking," Cormier stated, referencing Strickland’s post-fight call-out. The rivalry between Strickland and Chimaev has a history, reportedly stemming from past sparring sessions. Chimaev has publicly claimed to have gotten the better of Strickland in these encounters, a narrative Strickland has contested. "Those guys have got a really big beef between the two of them right now because I just saw a video recently about Khamzat Chimaev talking about him and Sean sparring a lot, that’s why Sean wants to talk and fight because he says Sean talks because he knows that he got the better of him. Strickland said, ‘I want the fight.’ I love that," Cormier recounted, highlighting the personal stakes involved in a potential matchup.
While acknowledging the formidable grappling prowess of Chimaev, Cormier raised a critical question regarding Strickland’s defensive capabilities. "Now, can Sean defend Khamzat to the point that he doesn’t get ridden out and taken down and controlled for 25 minutes? I don’t know that," Cormier pondered. However, he quickly pivoted to emphasize the striking threat Strickland presents when performing at his peak. "But I’ll tell you one thing that I do know that if that guy that showed up tonight shows up in that fight, it will be much more difficult a fight for the great Khamzat Chimaev. Why? Because even Israel Adesanya at the peak of his powers struggled with that version of Sean Strickland," Cormier asserted, drawing a parallel to Strickland’s career-defining upset victory over Israel Adesanya.
Sean Strickland (27-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC) briefly held the UFC middleweight title in 2023, achieving a shocking unanimous decision upset over then-champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 in September 2023. His reign was short-lived, as he subsequently lost the belt to Dricus du Plessis via a controversial split decision at UFC 297 in January 2024. A rematch at UFC 312 saw du Plessis secure a more convincing unanimous decision victory, marking two consecutive losses for Strickland.
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Cormier noted a significant improvement in Strickland’s demeanor and performance at UFC Houston compared to his recent title losses. The lackluster showing at UFC 312 had even drawn public criticism from Strickland’s long-time coach, Eric Nicksick, who questioned his fighter’s motivation. However, the two reconciled prior to the Hernandez bout, with Nicksick remaining in Strickland’s corner. Cormier observed no signs of internal discord during the recent event, interpreting it as a positive indicator for Strickland’s championship aspirations. "The Dricus du Plessis fight, it didn’t seem like Sean was locked all the way in," Cormier commented. "He seemed a little messed up and it showed. It showed in his body language, his posture, his lack of confidence. It showed in his coach getting frustrated. There were a number of reasons why he just didn’t look the same. But tonight, he looked the same. He looked like the guy that became the world champion."
The specific elements of Strickland’s performance against Anthony Hernandez (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) that impressed Cormier were directly related to skills that could pose problems for Chimaev’s relentless pressure and wrestling. Hernandez, known for his high-pressure style, grappling, and cardio, typically overwhelms opponents over the course of a fight. However, against Strickland, he was unable to implement his strategy effectively. Strickland’s victory over Hernandez also marked his first finish since his TKO win over Abusupiyan Magomedov in July 2023, signaling a return to top form in Cormier’s assessment.
Cormier detailed the technical aspects of Strickland’s victory. "If we know anything, when Sean Strickland is at his best, he can fight behind the jab," Cormier explained. "When he fought Israel Adesanya, which to date is his greatest performance of his career, that jab was popping all night long. And tonight, it felt like that was the same thing that was happening to Anthony Hernandez. Hernandez couldn’t really figure out the jab of Sean Strickland and because he couldn’t figure out the jab, Strickland was able to dictate and control the fight a little bit."
The former champion further highlighted Strickland’s finishing instincts. "Second round, he landed a beautiful shot that hurt Fluffy [Hernandez], swarmed him, and got the finish," Cormier said. "Now why is that important? Fluffy Hernandez is universally praised for his wrestling, his cardio, his boxing, his toughness, and his chin. When a guy has a great chin—and we have seen many, many over the history of the game—you can’t put him down. You can’t knock him out, you can’t hurt them with punches to the head. What do you do? You got to the body." Cormier pointed out Strickland’s strategic use of a knee to the body, exploiting Hernandez’s aggressive forward pressure. "Because Anthony Hernandez pressures so much, he puts himself in the range for knees, especially if you have the ability to knee going backwards or knee whenever a guy’s pressing into you. That’s exactly what Sean did. Sean hit him with a knee and for the first time in years I saw Anthony Hernandez retreat because he was hurt. … And Strickland not only hurt him, he went and he got the finish."
Khamzat Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) has established himself as one of the most dominant forces in the UFC, transitioning from welterweight to middleweight. His championship victory over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 310 in August solidified his position at the top of the 185-pound division. Known for his overwhelming wrestling, relentless pressure, and significant striking power, Chimaev has finished 10 of his 13 professional opponents. His undefeated record and the manner of his victories have led many to consider him an almost unstoppable force.
The potential booking of Strickland against Chimaev represents a compelling stylistic clash and a highly anticipated grudge match. While Cormier expressed some reservations about Strickland’s ability to completely negate Chimaev’s grappling over a five-round championship bout, he believes that a fully engaged and technically sound Strickland, particularly one utilizing his jab and body attacks as seen against Hernandez, could present Chimaev with his most demanding test to date. The middleweight division continues to be a hotbed of talent, with other contenders such as Nassourdine Imavov and Paulo Costa also vying for championship opportunities. However, the narrative between Strickland and Chimaev, fueled by their shared history and recent performances, has positioned it as a frontrunner for the next middleweight title challenge.
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