Khamzat Chimaev is set to return to competitive action just weeks after suffering the first loss of his career, but it will not be in the octagon. The 32-year-old lost his UFC middleweight title to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 last weekend via a split decision. Now, Chimaev has made a drastic career change by crossing over to wrestling under the Real American Freestyle (RAF) banner.
Chimaev to Headline RAF 10 Against Dillon Danis
Chimaev will headline RAF 10 against Conor McGregor's training partner Dillon Danis. The event will take place at the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 13. Also on the card, Chimaev's friend and teammate Arman Tsarukyan will face UFC legend Tony Ferguson, and UFC featherweight contender Aaron Pico will take on Lance Palmer.
Controversy Surrounding UFC 328
Leading up to UFC 328, the main event was marred by controversy as Chimaev and Strickland clashed multiple times, with the pair being placed in separate hotels. During the pre-fight press conference, police intervened after Chimaev kicked Strickland during the face-off. Chimaev appeared to struggle with the weight cut, and UFC president Dana White revealed that Chimaev had expressed a desire to move up to light heavyweight after the fight.
Chimaev Eyes Rematch with Strickland
Despite the move to wrestling, Chimaev remains focused on a rematch with Strickland. “The rematch with Sean Strickland is the only fight that Khamzat wants, he is obsessed with it,” his team told ESPN. Chimaev's brother, Artur, added: “We’ve requested a rematch with Strickland. There’s an event in Abu Dhabi in October, and we want to do it there. Khamzat isn’t the type of person to move to another weight class and leave unanswered questions behind.”
