Just days after suffering his first middleweight title defense loss, Khamzat Chimaev has already formally requested a rematch against Sean Strickland—and he wants it to happen in Abu Dhabi.

At UFC 328, Strickland pulled off yet another stunning upset, dethroning Chimaev in the main event. While Chimaev came out strong in the opening round, he faded quickly, fueling speculation that a brutal weight cut took a serious toll on his performance.

Immediately after the fight, Chimaev told Dana White he planned to move up to 205 pounds. But now, just days later, he’s done a complete 180. According to his brother, who spoke to SportsRu, Chimaev has submitted an official request for a rematch with Strickland—and he’s not interested in any other fight right now.

“There’s an event in Abu Dhabi in October, and we want to do it there,” his brother said. “Khamzat isn’t the type of person to move up a weight class and leave unanswered questions behind. We want that second fight. Right now, we have no other goals.”

The Chimaev camp also shed more light on his difficult weight cut, revealing that at one point, he had to choose between continuing to cut or pulling out entirely. Joe Rogan had previously defended Chimaev’s performance by noting he had originally been preparing for a 205-pound bout against Jiri Prochazka—and his brother confirmed that contracts for that fight had already been signed.

ESPN is now reporting that Chimaev is “obsessed” with securing a rematch against Strickland and isn’t open to any other matchups at the moment. Meanwhile, UFC legend Dustin Poirier has suggested that Chimaev may have “lost his aura” after the loss, making it harder to intimidate future opponents.

The UFC has yet to officially announce a 2026 Abu Dhabi event, but October shows there have become a regular staple on the calendar in recent years. If the rematch gets booked, it could be one of the most highly anticipated fights of the year—and a chance for Chimaev to prove he still belongs at the top.