Newark — Khamzat Chimaev appears to be done fighting at middleweight following the loss of his title to Sean Strickland at UFC 328.
The first loss of his professional career saw Chimaev drop a split decision against the American, in a fight that could best be described as solid, but at the same time one that did not live up to the hype generated by the pair’s pre-fight rivalry.
Things even wound up cordial after the main event had been settled, with Chimaev putting the belt on Strickland, and Strickland admitting that he’d gone “too far” with his trash talk selling the match-up.
Speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press at the UFC 328 post-fight press conference, UFC CEO and President Dana White revealed that Chimaev had told him afterwards that he was done with 185lbs.
“I don’t want to fight [here] again. I want to move up,” White said Chimaev told him.
“Ever since Fight Island, he’s gone on a run, he’s undefeated, won the world title. He did everything he’s said he’s going to do. But with the level of success, and lifestyle, it makes it tough,” noted White.
“Borz” had teased a move to 205lbs prior to the Strickland bout. He had been 15-0 prior to the loss, starting his career on “Fight Island” during the coronavirus pandemic. Back then, White saw something special in the fighter, who also competed as a welterweight. On Sunday, White suggested Chimaev had lived up to the hype.
“He’s a champion. When you see somebody fight for the first time, and you’re like ‘wow this guy’s special’ and they become a world champion in the UFC, yeah I would say so [that he lived up to expectations].”
And so White is satisfied that Chimaev has reached the potential he saw in the Chechen fighter all those years ago. “100%”
Jim Miller, an ageless wonder at 42, earned a Performance of the Night bonus at UFC 328 for a submission of Jared Gordon. Miller had missed an entire year, due in part to his son battling, and beating, a rare form of cancer.
“I wasn’t [aware] until tonight. Until tonight. And tonight was the last fight on his contract, and we just signed him to five more fights,” White said in response. “If he fights four, it’s 50 fights in the UFC, if he fights the last one it’s 51.”
The extra fight, added White, was one that “I just threw it in there.” The UFC exec is off on the math, however. Miller fought in his 47th UFC fight on Saturday. He needs just three more to hit 50, an unthinkable number for any UFC fighter. That number, 50 fights with the company, has been Miller’s stated goal for the last few years.
Miller has been with the company nearly 18 years now, debuting at UFC 89. He’s fought at all three UFC centennials, UFC 100, 200, and 300. He has the most wins in UFC history (28), the second most finishes, and is third all-time in post-fight bonuses. Yet he’s never been a megastar for the company, more of a workhorse. That led one reporter to suggest to White that Miller, perhaps, was underrated.
“I don’t know if it’s underrated, I don’t know what you’d call it. The guy’s special,” White said in response. “I think he was a 3-to-1 dog tonight and he wins in the first round by submission. That’s why when we were looking at the Performances of the Night, it’s hard not to give it to Jim. I don’t know if I’d call it underrated. He’s special, what he’s doing is pretty amazing.”
Watch the full UFC 328 post-fight press conference with Dana White above.
