UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland opened up as a betting underdog for a potential rematch against former champ Khamzat Chimaev.
Strickland pulled off a major upset when he beat Chimaev by split decision at UFC 328 this past weekend to claim the UFC middleweight title for the second time in his career. It was a close fight, but two of the New Jersey judges sitting cageside thought that Strickland did enough to win, and he earned the split decision nod.
Following the fight, UFC president Dana White said that Chimaev would be moving up to light heavyweight for his next bout. However, it appears that won’t be the case as he is now chasing a rematch with Strickland to reclaim the UFC middleweight title, instead.
Sean Strickland Opens as Betting Underdog Against Sean Khamzat Chimaev
According to Dave Mason of BetOnline, the opening odds for a potential Strickland vs. Chimaev 2 fight see the former champion as a -205 favorite, with the new champion as a +175 underdog.
In the first fight, Chimaev closed around a -500 favorite, while Strickland was about a +400 underdog as he pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC title fight history. Although Chimaev is still the favorite for a potential rematch, the odds are cut almost in half from what they were last weekend at UFC 328, when Chimaev lost his belt as a massive favorite.
The UFC has not commented yet on what their plans are with the 185 lbs title. At first, it did seem like Chimaev was moving up to 205 lbs to compete in a higher weight class after an awful weight cut hindered him in the first fight against Strickland. But now, it appears he is really considering staying at middleweight for the second fight with Strickland. That is, if the UFC allows him to.
Nassourdine Imavov Could be Denied a Rematch
Should Chimaev stay at middleweight, that would mean that top contender Nassourdine Imavov would be denied a rematch with Strickland. Imavov first fought him in 2023, with Strickland winning a unanimous decision in a light heavyweight bout. After the Frenchman reeled off five straight wins, it appeared as though he would be next in line to fight Strickland. But it looks like he may have to once again sit and wait his turn if Chimaev is granted an immediate rematch.
While the UFC has done plenty of immediate rematches in the company’s history, usually they are given to fighters who have defended their titles at least one time. Since Chimaev never successfully defended his belt even one time, it would be breaking from tradition if the UFC decided to grant him another fight with the new champion immediately after losing his title. But then again, it would be a massive fight, and we all know the UFC is in the business of booking the biggest fights possible. With Chimaev coming out now and publicly calling for a rematch with Strickland, we will likely find out what the UFC’s plans are for the middleweight title sooner rather than later.
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