Stephen Thompson: Khamzat Chimaev beats Sean Strickland in rematch

Stephen Thompson predicts Khamzat Chimaev would defeat Sean Strickland in a rematch following Strickland's shocking split-decision upset victory at UFC 328. Thompson suggested that Chimaev's preparation may have been inadequate for the fight, noting he observed the fighter appearing fatigued during their recent matchup. According to Thompson, Chimaev did not train at his usual intensity level near Dagestan as he had when preparing for previous title defenses, implying the champion was underprepared compared to his customary standards. Thompson believes a rematch would showcase a sharper, better-conditioned version of Chimaev, who Thompson does not consider to have fought at his peak level during the initial upset loss.