Luke Rockhold gives blueprint for Khamzat Chimaev to beat Sean Strickland
· Yahoo Sports
Luke Rockhold has offered his insight ahead of one of the most anticipated UFC matchups of the year.
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The former UFC middleweight champion has been directly involved in Khamzat Chimaev’s preparation to face Sean Strickland.
The bout, set for UFC 328 on 9 May, presents a stylistic clash. Strickland’s pressure and durability will test Chimaev’s ability to adapt across five rounds.
Luke Rockhold explains what Khamzat Chimaev must do to beat Sean Strickland
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLCRockhold believes the key for Chimaev lies in calmness and adaptability. He emphasised the need to avoid overcommitting to a single approach against a difficult opponent.
Speaking on the JAXXON Podcast, Rockhold outlined a balanced strategy. His overall message focused on controlled aggression and mixing striking and wrestling effectively.
“I think Khamzat needs to relax, and fight a full fight. You gotta flow, you gotta get takedowns, but not hold on to takedowns. You gotta throw hands, get a takedown, throw hands, not hold tight. He gotta be able to change levels. You can’t just ‘glue’ to Sean Strickland,” he began by saying.
“You just can’t commit to holding that guy down, he’s very hard to hold down. So, if Khamzat relaxes, he wins this fight everywhere.”
Sean Strickland is the underdog against Khamzat Chimaev
Chimaev heads into the contest as the favourite. His unbeaten run in the UFC has established him as one of the most dangerous fighters in the division.
He holds a nine-fight winning streak in the promotion. That run includes victories over former champions such as Kamaru Usman, Robert Whittaker and Dricus du Plessis.
While widely known for his grappling, Chimaev has also shown finishing ability on the feet. He has recorded two KO/TKO wins during his UFC career.
That combination of skills has made him a difficult puzzle for opponents. Against Strickland, it could prove decisive if he executes the approach outlined by Rockhold.
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