Dana White says Khamzat Chimaev may already be looking past middleweight after losing the UFC title to Sean Strickland at UFC 328.
Strickland defeated Chimaev by split decision on May 9, 2026 at Prudential Center in Newark, becoming a two-time UFC middleweight champion and handing Chimaev the first loss of his pro career. Strickland is now 31-7, while Chimaev dropped to 15-1, after a fight week already shaped by his complaints about Chimaev’s weigh-in.
White broke down the main-event fallout after the same card where Joshua Van defended his flyweight title against Tatsuro Taira:
White Says Chimaev Asked To Move Up After UFC 328
White said he had the fight even after four rounds before giving Strickland the fifth, matching the tight finish in MiddleEasy’s Strickland vs. Chimaev UFC 328 result.
“I scored the main event and I had it two to two going in the last round,” White said. “I thought Strickland won the last round.”
White was asked if he expected Strickland and Chimaev to be so friendly after the fight, especially after a nasty build-up.
“No. I was ready for the exact opposite,” White said.
The bigger development came from White’s brief exchange with Chimaev after the decision. According to White, Chimaev told him he wants a new division.
“He literally walked up to me after the fight and said, ‘I want to move up. I don’t want to fight in this weight class, I’m going to go.’”
White was asked later if Chimaev said anything else during that exchange.
“No, that was it,” White said. “He just said, ‘I don’t want to fight at this weight again, I want to move up.’”
White did not commit to a matchup or title path, but he did not dismiss the move either. “Him moving up is exciting,” White said.
White also connected Chimaev’s performance to the weight cut. When asked why Chimaev spent long stretches standing with Strickland instead of wrestling nonstop, White said Chimaev has always talked about his striking.
“The first two times I saw him fight on Fight Island, he used to talk about his standup and his team all the time. We haven’t seen him stand up and really go toe-to-toe with somebody in a while. I think he had a rough weight cut.”
White still gave Chimaev credit for staying in the fight after slowing down.
“Listen, he’s a tough guy,” White said. “He’s a f*cking savage. I would expect him not to roll over and quit.”
White also pushed back on the online complaints around Chimaev’s weigh-in, saying the commission handled the process.
“The New Jersey State Athletic Commission oversees the weigh-ins. Jeremy Stephens missed by four pounds, right? And they had to cut a deal. But for Khamzat, they’re just going to not let him make weight?”
White defended the commission directly.
“Jersey and New York are two of the toughest commissions in the country,” he said before firing back at the online noise with, “The internet’s f*cking stupid.”
When asked why the commission used a manual scale instead of an electric one, White said that question was not for him.
“Monday morning at 9:02, call the New Jersey Athletic Commission and ask them that,” White said. “I have nothing to do with any of that stuff.”
White also praised Strickland’s place in the division after wins over Chimaev and Israel Adesanya.
“It’s incredible. He looks great,” White said. “He’s got an awkward style. He’s tough to fight. Another durable, tough guy that has no quit in him.”
White said he was not shocked by the upset because Chris Weidman had warned him people were underrating Strickland’s wrestling.
“I was talking to Chris Weidman, and Chris Weidman is like, ‘Man, everybody’s sleeping on Strickland. Strickland’s wrestling’s not terrible.’”
White said the betting line was too wide, adding, “I never thought that he was a 4-to-1 dog anyway.” Earlier on the card, Sean Brady beat Joaquin Buckley by decision in another fight where the judges mattered.
White also said Chimaev has already achieved plenty since his Fight Island breakout.
“Ever since Fight Island, he’s gone on a run,” White said. “He’s undefeated, won the world title, did everything that he said he would do.” But White also admitted success can change the grind, saying, “With the level of success and lifestyle makes it tough.”
If Chimaev follows through on moving up, Strickland’s second middleweight title run may start without an immediate rematch. White gave Chimaev credit for the run, defended the weigh-in process, and still made the biggest point clear: Chimaev told him another cut to 185 is not what he wants.
