One of Sean Strickland’s longtime detractors didn’t hold back on the former UFC middleweight champ getting a UFC 328 title shot.
UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev will look to begin his title reign on a positive note when he squares off with former titleholder Sean Strickland at UFC 328. Chimaev vs. Strickland headlines an intriguing card in Newark, featuring two middleweights who have been on each other’s nerves for months.
Strickland received the next title shot after an impressive win over Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston. Despite a lopsided defeat at UFC 312 against Dricus du Plessis, the UFC matchmakers awarded Strickland the title shot over top contender Nassourdine Imavov and others.
Many question the validity of Strickland’s upcoming title fight and whether or not Strickland’s most recent win was enough to surpass Imavov in the title mix. According to one former UFC champion, Strickland’s title shot reflects a bigger problem with modern Mixed Martial Arts.
Belal Muhammad: Sean Strickland’s title shot reflects ‘stupidity’ of modern MMA
In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad weighed in on Chimaev vs. Strickland.
“It sucks for Imavov, I thought he earned a title shot and that he was going to get one. But I think the trash talk, stupidity, and the era that we live in now, where Strickland talks his way into a title shot. You know it’s going to get people to talk and watch,” Muhammad said of Strickland.
“The one thing I’m excited for is for Chimaev to smash him and walk through him. He’ll be able to take him down, control him, and I’m hoping he’ll open him up a little bit and break him mentally.”
UFC analyst Din Thomas recently pointed to Strickland as the only middleweight who can stop Chimaev’s title reign. Chimaev, unbeaten in his professional career, won the belt by defeating Du Plessis at UFC 319 last year.
What is your prediction for Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland? Let us know in the comments!