Joe Rogan has added a recent layer to the dialog round Khamzat Chimaev earlier than UFC 328, the place the unbeaten middleweight champion is scheduled to defend his title in opposition to former champ Sean Strickland on Might 9 at Prudential Middle in Newark. The matchup is already straightforward to promote on names alone, however Rogan’s latest take shifts the main target to a extra particular query: how a lot of Chimaev’s dominance has come in opposition to males who have been by no means constructed to cease elite wrestling within the first place?
Joe Rogan Says Khamzat Chimaev Has Confronted Few Elite Wrestlers Forward of Sean Strickland Struggle
On his podcast, Joe Rogan mentioned:
“Khamzat is dealing with guys that don’t have an enormous background in elite wrestling; they’re not elite wrestlers. The man that he fought who was an elite grappler and gave him issues was Kamaru Usman. Usman took the battle on quick discover at 185 lbs, and within the third spherical Kamaru was profitable. That will have been a really attention-grabbing battle if it was a 5-round battle and if Kamaru had a full camp.”
Rogan’s argument facilities on the concept Chimaev has usually been in a position to impose his sport on opponents who have been harmful in different areas however didn’t carry a prime wrestling base into the cage. Chimaev’s rise has been tied to his capacity to shut distance quick, power takedowns, construct management, and both pile up harm or threaten submissions. His fight type has lengthy been rooted in freestyle wrestling, and his credentials outdoors the UFC help that, together with nationwide titles in Sweden.
The battle Rogan used to make his case was Chimaev’s October 2023 assembly with Kamaru Usman at UFC 294. Usman took that bout on round 10 days’ discover after Paulo Costa withdrew, and he accepted it at middleweight somewhat than his common welterweight class. Chimaev gained by majority determination, however the outcome didn’t really feel like one-way site visitors by the point the third spherical closed.
Chimaev managed Usman for 4:35 within the first spherical and completed the evening with 7:16 of complete management time, touchdown 4 takedowns in 12 makes an attempt. Even so, Usman had the higher third spherical on the ft in stretches, and the official scores got here again 29-27, 28-28, and 29-27, which confirmed a a lot tighter contest than lots of Chimaev’s earlier UFC performances.
That’s the opening Rogan is pointing to. His view is that Usman, an achieved wrestler with years of championship expertise, was in a position to give Chimaev issues even with no full coaching camp and whereas combating up a division. If that model of Usman may make the battle aggressive late, Rogan’s suggestion is straightforward: a full camp and a five-round format may have informed a special story.
This doesn’t erase what Chimaev has achieved at 185 kilos. He stays undefeated, he submitted Robert Whittaker within the first spherical at UFC 308, and he later gained the middleweight belt earlier than reserving this primary protection in opposition to Strickland. Nonetheless, Rogan’s feedback land as a result of they aim an ongoing debate in Chimaev’s profession: whether or not overwhelming early management seems the identical as soon as the opponent can wrestle, defend, and drag him deeper right into a battle.
That makes Strickland an attention-grabbing subsequent chapter, even when he’s not coming into this battle with Usman’s wrestling résumé. Strickland is a former champion, laborious to maneuver backward, disciplined along with his jab, and recognized for forcing opponents into uncomfortable rounds somewhat than chaotic minutes. Forward of UFC 328, Rogan’s criticism doesn’t rewrite Chimaev’s file, however it does sharpen the important thing query over this title protection: can Chimaev dominate one other prime middleweight, or will this develop into one other battle the place resistance adjustments the image?
