Joe Rogan is not dismissing Sean Strickland against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328. Chimaev brings the unbeaten record and the middleweight belt, but Rogan sees Strickland’s cardio, takedown defense, and constant fight-week pressure as real problems in a five-round title fight. That is a sharper read than the idea that Chimaev simply walks through him, which was the angle Robert Whittaker raised when he said Chimaev could run over Strickland at UFC 328.
Wikipedia lists Strickland at 30-7 overall and as a former UFC middleweight champion. Chimaev is listed at 15-0 overall and as the current UFC middleweight champion. The UFC lists Strickland at 17-7 in the promotion and Chimaev at 9-0 in the UFC.
Rogan discussed the matchup on The Joe Rogan Experience #2492 with Ari Shaffir. Watch the full episode below:
Rogan Says Strickland’s Trash Talk And Style Give Him A Real Shot
Rogan first pointed to Strickland’s ability to make the buildup uncomfortable before the cage door even closes.
“Sean has talked so much sh*t,” Rogan said. “He’s a wild dude, and that sh*t talking that he does, it’s emotional warfare. … It’s like what Conor (McGregor) used to do. What Conor did with Jose Aldo, he had him so f*cked up before that fight. (Aldo) was just so emotional. Aldo was a legend.”
Rogan then compared Strickland’s verbal pressure to the old Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo buildup.
“Nobody talked sh*t about (Aldo). Everybody was terrified of him, and Conor was just constantly talking sh*t about him, stole his belt at a press conference and was holding it up. By the time the fight happened, Aldo was just so worked up, and Conor was just super relaxed and smiling.”
The larger point was not just trash talk. Rogan said Strickland has the actual tools to make Chimaev work harder than many expect.
“Strickland is one of the best fighters on planet Earth. So is Khamzat,” Rogan said. “But Strickland is also a legitimate world champion. He’s a guy who’s accustomed to five-rounders. He’s got phenomenal cardio. He’s one of the hardest guys to hit in the sport. One-hundred percent, he has a shot. (He has) underrated grappling. Listen to me as an expert, allegedly: He’s got some of the best takedown defense in the game, underrated grappling. Strickland has a legit chance.”
Chimaev’s clearest path is wrestling control. Strickland’s route is to survive the early rush, keep the fight standing, and make the champion work across five rounds.
After weeks of bad blood, gun threats, and Chimaev firing back at Strickland’s fight-week talk, Rogan is saying the matchup has real danger for both sides.
