Sean Strickland discusses potential title fight with Khamzat Chimaev: “Getting a decision with a welterweight off the couch is not f**king earning it”

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has questioned whether or not Khamzat Chimaev has earned a shot at the title.

Last weekend at UFC 294, Khamzat Chimaev went head-to-head with Kamaru Usman in the co-main event of the evening. It was a competitive, hard-fought contest, with Chimaev eventually doing enough to earn the decision win. Usman pushed him all the way, but that didn’t prevent ‘Borz’ from getting the job done.

RELATED: SEAN STRICKLAND REPORTEDLY TURNED DOWN OFFER TO DEFEND MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST KHAMZAT CHIMAEV AT UFC 294

As a result, it appears as if Khamzat will now be the next contender for the aforementioned middleweight championship. Sean Strickland is currently the champ after he was able to dethrone Israel Adesanya last month.

During an interview after UFC 294, Strickland gave his thoughts on the man who could well be his next opponent.

Well, it looks like @SStricklandMMA is ready for a matchup with Khamzat! #UFC294

Didn’t hold back and we wouldn’t expect him to. #ExtraRounds from the @PBR Teams Championship. pic.twitter.com/uuQPRVkOzD

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) October 22, 2023

Strickland questions Chimaev

“The only thing I like about Chimaev is that he sells fights,” Strickland said on UFC Fight Pass. “For some reason, people f*cking like him or don’t like him. I don’t know. To me, he’s a f*cking paycheck. He sells a lot of fights. People pay to watch, but he f*cking hasn’t earned it.

“He hasn’t f*cking deserved it, but here we are. Give it to him. He sells a lot of fights. I’ll go fight the f*cking man for five rounds. But no, he’s not earned it. He doesn’t f*cking deserve it. Getting a decision with a welterweight off the couch is not f*king earning it.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

One thing is for sure – the build-up to this one would be insane, for a multitude of reasons.

Do you agree with Sean Strickland? What do you expect to happen if Khamzat Chimaev does challenge for the belt in his next outing? Let us know, BJPENN Nation!