Trending Now - Du Plessis Slams Chimaev's Weight Cut Blame as Absurd
WHO:
MMA Fighting - Dricus du Plessis, Khamzat Chimaev, Sean Strickland, UFC CEO Dana White, Artur Chimaev, Arman Tsarukyan
MMA Mania - Dricus du Plessis
WHAT:
MMA Fighting - Chimaev's loss to Strickland was his first defeat in 16 professional fights and marked his first middleweight title defense.
MMA Fighting - Chimaev's brother Artur and training partner Arman Tsarukyan attributed his performance to a difficult weight cut.
MMA Fighting - Du Plessis stated, "Twelve pounds in 24 hours, that’s not that bad," regarding Chimaev's weight cut.
MMA Fighting - Du Plessis expressed surprise that Chimaev won on one judge's scorecard, stating, "I can’t believe it was a split decision."
MMA Fighting - UFC CEO Dana White mentioned that Chimaev planned to move up to the light heavyweight division after the fight.
MMA Fighting - Khamzat Chimaev lost to Sean Strickland in a split decision during UFC 328.
MMA Fighting - Chimaev's loss marked his first defeat in 16 professional fights.
MMA Fighting - Chimaev was blamed by his brother and training partner for a difficult weight cut affecting his performance.
MMA Mania - Du Plessis criticized Chimaev's weight cut excuse as "ridiculous" and stated that cutting 12 pounds in the last 24 hours is not significant.
WHERE:
MMA Fighting - The fight took place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
MMA Mania - The UFC 328 event occurred at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
WHEN:
MMA Fighting - UFC 328 took place on May 09, 2026.
MMA Fighting - Chimaev's previous fight against du Plessis occurred on August 16, 2025.
WHY:
MMA Fighting - Du Plessis emphasized that blaming a weight cut for a loss is an excuse and stated, "If you want to change weight divisions, change weight divisions."
MMA Fighting - Du Plessis believes that blaming a weight cut for a loss is an excuse and emphasizes the need for discipline in weight management.
HOW:
MMA Fighting - Du Plessis mentioned that he has experienced bad weight cuts but believes fighters should not use them as excuses for losing.
(UPDATED May 21, 2026 06:21 UTC)
In a surprising turn of events, Chimaev suffered his first defeat in 16 professional fights during his middleweight title defense against Strickland. Following the match, his brother Artur and training partner Arman Tsarukyan suggested that a challenging weight cut may have impacted his performance, while Du Plessis dismissed this notion, emphasizing that blaming a weight cut is merely an excuse. UFC CEO Dana White revealed that Chimaev plans to move up to the light heavyweight division after this fight, indicating a significant shift in his career.
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(UPDATED May 21, 2026 04:21 UTC)
Khamzat Chimaev suffered his first professional defeat in 16 fights, losing to Sean Strickland in a split decision at UFC 328, which took place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on May 09, 2026. Chimaev's brother and training partner attributed the loss to a difficult weight cut, a claim that Dricus du Plessis criticized as "ridiculous," arguing that cutting 12 pounds in the last 24 hours is not significant. Du Plessis emphasized the importance of discipline in weight management, stating that fighters should not use weight cuts as excuses for their losses.