Brendan Allen believes Khamzat Chimaev will successfully defend his middleweight title when he faces Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 328 on May 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark.
Chimaev (15-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) captured the belt last August with a victory over Dricus Du Plessis and now heads into his first title defense against a resurgent Strickland (30-7 MMA, 17-7 UFC). The former champion returned to the win column in February with an impressive performance against Anthony Hernandez, prompting some observers to view him as the toughest test of Chimaev’s UFC career so far.
Allen, however, isn’t convinced the matchup will be particularly competitive.
Having trained alongside Chimaev during his preparation for the fight, Allen offered a confident assessment of the champion’s chances during a recent appearance on the JAXXON podcast.
“I think Khamzat's too skilled,” Allen said. “Sean's kind of a one-trick pony, kind of lazy, doesn't really possess a crazy amount of skill. He's just super awkward when you're in there with him. And if you've never experienced that, then it's a shock. But I think (Khamzat's) too skilled.”
Allen also pointed to what he sees as continued evolution in Chimaev’s overall approach, both mentally and technically.
“I think now he's older, he's smarter, he's wiser with his mentality, with his emotions and his skill level,” Allen said. “I think he's just going to be too much for Sean and I think how he approaches the fight is going to shock a lot of people.”
While Strickland’s durability and unorthodox striking style have historically posed problems for opponents, Allen believes those attributes won’t be enough against a more complete and mature version of Chimaev.
