Jorge Masvidal isn’t entertained when he watches Khamzat Chimaev in action.
Chimaev is the reigning UFC Middleweight Champion. He took the 185-pound gold thanks to his grappling dominance over Dricus du Plessis back in Aug. 2025. “Borz” almost had 22 minutes of control time on his way to a one-sided unanimous decision win.
While Chimaev’s dominance has dazzled many, some aren’t exactly enamored with his fighting style. During an episode of the “Death Row MMA” podcast, Masvidal made it clear which side of the fence he’s on (h/t MMAJunkie).
“None of that crotch sniffing, just sit there and sniff crotches,” Masvidal said. “You have a chance to strike, but you’re just holding the guy down because you’re so scared they’re going to get away when you’re just at a halfway position just holding on for dear life. You’re not advancing, you’re not causing damage, and all you’re doing is literally holding. Yeah, you’re a better wrestler, but that’s not fighting.”
Chimaev is set to defend the middleweight title against Sean Strickland in the UFC 328 main event on May 9 in Newark. “Gamebred” is confident that Strickland will give Chimaev problems throughout the fight.
“I think this is going to be the first guy that actually challenges Chimaev in that realm,” Masvidal said. “Even if he gets a takedown, he’s not just going to get to catch his breath.”
Strickland received his shot at Chimaev after steamrolling Anthony Hernandez in the second round of their UFC Houston battle. “Fluffy” had been considered a serious threat at 185 pounds, but Strickland’s forward pressure was simply too much.
Keep it locked on BJPenn.com for the latest UFC 328 updates. Of course, we’ll be providing live coverage of the event on fight night.
Do you agree with Jorge Masvidal’s assessment of Khamzat Chimaev’s fighting style? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.