It’s no secret that Sean Strickland ruffled some of his fellow fighters’ feathers in the lead-up to UFC Houston, and as a busy weekend of events comes to a close, some fighters are taking to social media after the main event.
Sean Strickland delivered a stellar performance to cap off an exciting night of fighting, finishing with a fourth-place finish to Anthony Hernandez via TKO in the third round. With the title in sight, the American middleweight wasted no time in mincing words about his fellow fighters.
Tonight was no different in terms of getting under the skin of #1 contender Nassourdine Imavov and the current champion, Khamzat Chimaev. It’s apparently a new favorite pastime for the controversial Sean Strickland, and with his exclamation of want “the Chechen whore,” we would undoubtedly see some reaction to the former champion’s victory.
My dream. Bring me the clown for the crown @ufc #UFCHouston
— Imavov Nassourdine (@imavov1) February 22, 2026
Nassourdine Imavov was the first to intervene, calling Strickland “the clown” and calling for a title fight between the two. It seems unlikely given Chimaev’s status with the 185 belt, but perhaps a move to 205 will come for the champion opening up a rematch between the rivals for a vacant title.
Strickland vs. Imavov for the vacant middleweight title should be the main card opener at the White House #UFCHouston
—Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) February 22, 2026
UFC Hall of Famer, Henry Cejudo was another to pitch the idea of the vacant middleweight title, this time at the White House. No doubt Strickland would gain support in that fight on America’s biggest stage, but if Dana White’s words are true, the White House matchmaking has already taken place.
Habibi calm down, I destroyed the man who defeated you twice 🤫
American bitch 😂— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) February 22, 2026
Finally Khamzat Chimaev. It’s true that Dricus was victorious over Strickland twice in both 2024 and 2025, only to be dominated by Khamzat for just five rounds at UFC 319. Still, Strickland’s takedown defense looked elite tonight against a high-level submission artist in Anthony Hernandez. Hernandez isn’t on Chimaev’s level and it’s unlikely Strickland would be able to keep the fight going for the entire fight, but could his cardio and defensive wrestling take a few rounds away from the champion? Sure, Imavov should be a priority for the next title at 185 pounds, but Sean is a sneaky match for Khamzat Chimaev in the future.
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