Daniel Cormier: Khamzat Chimaev could skip over Sean Strickland
During a recent episode of Good Guy/Bad Guy with Chael Sonnen, Cormier weighed in on Strickland and the next middleweight title shot.
“I think the worry for Sean Strickland, is he beat Paulo Costa, Robert Whittaker has also beaten Paulo Costa. [Whittaker’s] also beaten [Ikram]Aliskerov… if [Whittaker] puts Chimaev behind him, it would make a very compelling argument that [Whittaker] should be next,” Cormier said of Strickland. “[Du Plessis] wants Whittaker to win. He needs him to win. Because the Robert Whittaker in the fight, how it played out between him and DDP. If Khamzat [Chimaev] wins now, now you have something to worry about…
“Because now you have this undefeated guy, who for so many years, we thought it was only a matter of time until he became a world champion,” Cormier continued. “Khamzat immediately looked like a guy who would be a champion, you could see it, and that would make me concerned if I’m Sean Strickland…he shouldn’t feel so good, because when Dana [White] speaks, he may go ‘This guy’s next! This is who we have’. But there’s a tone to his voice that makes you believe that what he’s telling you is certain. I didn’t hear that tone, I didn’t hear that for-sure tone for Sean Strickland…so I do believe that there’s room for Chimaev to work his way in there.”
Another element is Alex Pereira, who could potentially return to 185lbs after his upcoming light heavyweight title defense. In the UFC 305 aftermath, Pereira teased a possible comeback at middleweight after du Plessis’s win.
Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev will square off at UFC 308 in October. The winner could potentially earn a title shot for their next booking.
Strickland is looking to get back to the title after a loss to du Plessis. He earned the belt by amassing one of the biggest upset wins in UFC history over Israel Adesanya.
