Khamzat Chimaev Wants Strickland-Imavov Winner: 'I'm the Real Champion'

Khamzat Chimaev does not want a tune-up fight. He wants the middleweight belt back.

The UFC's No. 1-ranked contender told MMA Junkie that his next fight should be against the winner of a proposed title bout between champion Sean Strickland and Nassourdine Imavov. Chimaev has not competed since Strickland took the title from him by split decision at UFC 328 in May.

"It should be the winner because I'm the No. 1 contender, and I didn't lose that match," Chimaev said. "People say I lost the match, but I'm the real champion."

That is Chimaev talking, not the official record. The judges gave Strickland the fight, and the UFC still has him listed as champion. What Chimaev does have is the top contender's spot and a five-round result close enough to keep the argument alive.

The scorecards still count

The UFC's official account of UFC 328 lists Strickland as the winner by split decision, with scores of 47-48, 48-47 and 48-47. Chimaev controlled the opening round with his wrestling, but Strickland survived the early pressure and found more success as the fight moved into longer striking exchanges.

Chimaev has never accepted that outcome quietly. His latest comments go a step beyond asking for another chance. Calling himself the "real champion" turns a close loss into a claim that the division still belongs to him.

He did not hold the belt for long, but he won it decisively. Chimaev took the middleweight title from Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 in August 2025. All three judges scored that fight 50-44. Strickland then handed him the first defeat of his professional career in his opening defense.

That sequence explains both sides of the argument. Chimaev looked untouchable against Du Plessis and came within one round on two scorecards of keeping the belt against Strickland. He is also 0-1 against the current champion. An immediate title route is defensible, but it is not something he can award himself.

The ranking gives him some leverage. UFC's latest list has Chimaev at No. 1, Dricus Du Plessis at No. 2 and Imavov at No. 3. A direct path to the winner would not be a wild request. It also is not a promise from the promotion.

Strickland-Imavov is not booked

This is the part that can get lost in the callout. The UFC has not announced Strickland vs. Imavov. MMA Junkie reported that the rematch is expected, but said it has been delayed while Strickland pushes for better pay.

Strickland and Imavov have fought before, though not under the conditions now being discussed. Strickland replaced an injured Kelvin Gastelum on less than a week's notice in January 2023, and the bout was moved from middleweight to light heavyweight. He won a unanimous decision by scores of 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47.

A second fight would carry a belt and arrive almost four years later. Imavov is now ranked third at middleweight, while Strickland has gone on to win the championship twice. The first result gives Strickland a clear win in the rivalry, but it does not make the proposed rematch a repeat of the same circumstances.

It also means Chimaev is waiting on two men with unfinished business of their own. If the rematch happens, he can argue that the winner settles the clearest title question available. If negotiations continue to drag, the division has other contenders who will not volunteer to stand still.

Chimaev acknowledged the uncertainty himself. "I don't know what's going to happen," he said. "Maybe the UFC wants me to face the winner of the fight, so I just want to take my belt back very soon."

There is no date for Strickland-Imavov and no agreement that Chimaev will receive the winner. Until the UFC announces both steps, this is Chimaev stating what he wants, not a three-fight plan.

Ready now, with no opponent

Chimaev said he is prepared to return as soon as the UFC calls. "Hopefully very soon, but it's not about me right now," he told MMA Junkie. "Whenever the UFC calls me and they ask, 'Are you ready to fight?' I'll fight anyone."

That leaves him in an awkward position. Waiting for the title picture makes sense for the top-ranked contender, especially after a split decision. Waiting for a fight that has not been booked could also keep him out much longer than expected.

His own words leave the UFC room to make a different offer. Saying he will fight anyone is broader than saying he will only accept the champion. If the promotion decides the division needs to move before Strickland and Imavov agree, Chimaev could be asked to defend his ranking against another contender. He has said he is ready; the question is whether he is just as flexible when an actual contract arrives.

The current position is simple. Strickland is champion, Chimaev is ranked first and Imavov is third. Chimaev wants the winner, but the UFC has not announced either matchup.