Jorge Masvidal Criticizes Khamzat Chimaev: “That’s Not Fighting”

UFC veteran Jorge Masvidal has openly voiced his disapproval of reigning middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev’s grappling-dominant fighting style. The former BMF titleholder suggests that Chimaev’s preference for keeping opponents on the ground stems from a lack of confidence in his striking, rather than a purely strategic advantage.

Chimaev claimed the UFC middleweight championship last year at UFC 319 by defeating Dricus du Plessis. In a performance heavily reliant on his wrestling prowess, "Borz" controlled the South African for over 21 minutes of the five-round bout, executing 12 takedowns and landing a total of 529 strikes (though only 37 were deemed significant).

Despite a decisive victory, the wrestling-heavy nature of the fight left some fans, and particularly Jorge Masvidal, unimpressed by what many described as a "snoozefest."

Masvidal Slams Khamzat Chimaev's Tactics

During an episode of his podcast, Jorge Masvidal launched a scathing critique of Khamzat Chimaev's fighting methods. "Gamebred" argued that while Chimaev might be a superior wrestler, his approach often prioritizes holding opponents down out of fear, rather than actively seeking a finish or advancing position. Masvidal implied that Chimaev uses this strategy to simply run down the clock.

“Just sit there and sniff crotches. You have a chance to strike, but you’re just holding the guy down because you’re scared they’re going to get away. Yeah, you’re a better wrestler, but that’s not fighting.”

Chimaev is slated to make his first middleweight title defense at UFC 328, where he will face former training partner-turned-rival, Sean Strickland.

Masvidal went on to predict that Strickland would present a much tougher challenge for Chimaev than du Plessis did. According to the former BMF champion, "Tarzan" will prove difficult to "ragdoll" and keep grounded, suggesting that Strickland will exhaust Chimaev and push him in every facet of the fight.

“Strickland might be the first guy that challenges Chimaev in that realm. Even if Chimaev gets a takedown, he’s going to have to work even harder to hold Strickland down.”

Adding his perspective, Joe Pyfer, on *Death Row MMA*, expressed his support for Sean Strickland to win and voiced his concerns over Chimaev's perceived inactivity.