Dustin Poirier is not ready to call Khamzat Chimaev’s UFC 328 weigh-in clean theater.
Chimaev officially hit 185 pounds for his middleweight title defense against Sean Strickland in Newark, making the fight official. Strickland also made 185 pounds, but the champion’s moment on the scale has already become the loudest pre-fight debate on the card after Strickland accused him of not truly making weight.
Poirier, a former interim UFC lightweight champion, watched the clip and said the call came too fast. The drama comes after Chimaev kicked Strickland during their UFC 328 faceoff, and Strickland later blasted him over the scale drama before the title fight.
“As soon as he steps on the scale, they say 185. It didn’t even have time to balance. This is a hang scale. You have to let it balance.”
Here’s Poirier’s reaction:
Dustin Poirier reacts to the controversy surrounding Khamzat Chimaev’s weigh-in:
"As soon as he steps on the scale, they say 185. It didn't even have time to balance… This is a hang scale. You have to let it balance."
Presented by @FREPouch. pic.twitter.com/cruRfaTSxJ
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 9, 2026
Poirier Sees A Real Problem If Strickland Keeps Getting Up
The official result still says Chimaev made championship weight. The issue is perception, and fight week already had enough gasoline on it after the faceoff kick and Strickland’s public anger over the scale moment.
Poirier also sees a real fight path for Strickland if he can survive Chimaev’s early wrestling storm. Strickland is a former UFC middleweight champion, and Poirier said people around his camp have told him his takedown resistance is not easy to solve.
“I know guys who are in his camp, real wrestlers telling me that Sean is hard to hold down. If Khamzat does go to the fourth, fifth round, and Strickland keeps getting up, how does he slow him down? It’s an interesting fight.”
That is the danger zone for Chimaev. He is the current UFC middleweight champion, unbeaten, and terrifying when he gets top control early. But if Strickland forces repeated stand-ups and drags him late, this becomes less about aura and more about pace, cardio, and frustration.
Poirier also said the UFC had heavy security around both men during fight week.
“It was wild, bro. Behind the screen, obviously, the stage is set up and they have the backdrop. Behind there is the cage and the rest of the arena. These guys were, they had so much security back there, they had one guy on one side of the building, the other guy on the other side. They’re staying in different hotels. They’re doing everything they can to keep these guys from fighting.”
On Chimaev’s faceoff kick, Poirier kept it direct.
“It’s not okay. Nobody was injured, so it’s not a big deal, but these guys really dislike each other for real. This isn’t like a fabricated thing. These guys want to hurt each other.”
Here’s Poirier on Strickland’s chances:
Dustin Poirier shares what he's heard from Strickland's training partners:
"I know guys who are in his camp, real wrestlers telling me that Sean is hard to hold down.
If Khamzat does go to the 4-5th round, & Strickland keeps getting up… It's an interesting fight." @FREPouch pic.twitter.com/Hp7MqDqXN5
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 9, 2026
The UFC’s official weigh-in results still list Chimaev and Strickland at 185 pounds. Jeremy Stephens was the lone miss on the main card, coming in at 160 pounds for his lightweight bout with King Green.
Now the question is simple. If Chimaev runs through Strickland early, the scale talk disappears fast. If Strickland survives, stands back up, and forces the champion into the fourth and fifth rounds, Poirier’s concern becomes a real fight-night problem.
