Colby Covington just made a bold statement about the chances of Sean Strickland winning over Khamzat Chimaev, indicating that Strickland would have virtually no chance of winning against him in the Octagon. In an interview with Submission Radio, Covington explained why he thinks Strickland, with his striking-oriented style, might not be able to meet Chimaev with a dominant wrestling and grappling style.
Colby Covington explained that there is a big difference between the two fighters and that Chimaev can control opponents on the ground, which would make it hard for Strickland to find his rhythm.
Colby Covington noted the two fighters operate on completely different levels in grappling and approach their strategies differently. He expects that Chimaev can bring Strickland down several times and keep him down by submission or positional superiority.
Concerns Of Style About Strickland
Colby Covington’s core assessment is based on the stylistic matchup. Strickland is more of a striking-based fighter who uses accurate punches, kicks, and movement to control fights. Chimaev, on the contrary, proved to be one of the most powerful wrestlers and was capable of disabling his opponents by pushing them down and taking control on the ground.
Covington highlighted an observation from one of his earlier sparring sessions at Xtreme Couture. Chimaev is said to have dominated his opponent during the session. Covington described that he brought his opponent down continuously and remained dominant during the sparring session. Covington thinks he would use the same tactic against Strickland, where it would be more grappling than striking blows.
The prediction says that Chimaev’s wrestling skills will give Strickland few options. This means he will have to play defense, and Chimaev can stop him from striking. Colby Covington thinks this could lead to Khamzat making Strickland submit or holding him down for most of the fight. This shows how good he is at wrestling and how well he can control the fight.
How Khamzat Performed Against Other Strikers
Khamzat usually ends fights against strikers before they can even land a punch. When he previously fought against Kevin Holland and Li Jingliang, he took them down and won by submission in the first round without getting hit. He basically stops their offense by not letting them stay on their feet.
Even against elite strikers with good defense, like Robert Whittaker, Khamzat’s pressure is just too much for them to handle. He uses his wrestling to take them down and finishes the fight quickly. This shows that even the best strikers have a time dealing with Khamzat’s speed and strength.
The only striker who was able to give Khamzat a tough time was Gilbert Burns, but that was because Burns is really good at Jiu-Jitsu, and Khamzat was afraid to grapple. Since Strickland is not a specialist in submissions, Khamzat will probably find it easier to use his wrestling skills and avoid striking.
Upcoming Bout and Context
Chimaev has not competed since winning the middleweight gold last August. On the other hand, Strickland has been getting ready to fight the best guys in the division. The fight is set to take place at UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark. This is where we will see if Strickland’s striking can beat Chimaev’s wrestling and grappling skills. Colby Covington thinks Chimaev will win because he is very good at wrestling and can control the fight on the ground.
As the fight gets closer, it will be interesting to see how both fighters plan to win and if they can adjust to each other’s style. This is a test for both Strickland and Chimaev, and MMA fans are excited to see what happens.
