Anything less of ‘steamrolling Kamaru Usman’ is considered disappointing for Khamzat Chimaev, says UFC middleweight champ Sean Strickland

Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis offered a unique perspective on UFC 294, where Strickland is set to face the winner of Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kamaru Usman in his first title defense.

Anything less of ‘steamrolling Kamaru Usman’ is considered disappointing for Khamzat Chimaev, says UFC middleweight champ Sean Strickland

Sean Strickland questions UFC 294 co-main event booking (Image via Imago)

In his recent podcast episode with Chris Curtis, Sean Strickland provided his take on UFC 294. Strickland and Curtis had an alternative view of the event than the general consensus. The interesting fact remains that Strickland would face the winner of the co-main event of the PPV for his first title defense. Khamzat Chimaev and Kamaru Usman are set to feature in the co-main event of UFC 294. They will fight before the headlining bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev.

Strickland provided his take on the Usman vs. Chimaev matchup in the podcast. Strickland has lost to Usman at welterweight. Moreover, he has trained with Chimaev. Strickland said about the expectations from Chimaev,

If you don't steamroll Usman, that says a lot. So you are expected to f*cking steamroll Usman.
Sean Strickland on his podcast.
YouTube video

Even though Usman and Chimaev are ranked 1st and 4th in the welterweight division, the bout at UFC 294 is a number one contender fight for the middleweight title. The middleweight title is presently with Sean Strickland after his stellar performance over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293. Interestingly, Strickland wasn’t supposed to fight at UFC 293. Adesanya was presumed to take on Dricus Du Plessis, who announced his unavailability due to injury.

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In addition to the co-main event of UFC 294, the main event also needed a short-notice replacement. Alexander Volkanovski stepped in for an injured Charles Oliveira at the event. Thus making it a rematch of the UFC 284 PPV in Perth, Australia. At UFC 284, Volkanovski lost a hard-fought fight to Islam Makhachev via decision.

Sean Strickland thinks Alexander Volkanovski is making more than $2 million at UFC 294

In the recent UFC 294 breakdown episode on YouTube of Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis, they pondered Volkanovski’s payment at UFC 294. Strickland already presumed that Kamaru Usman would make more than $1 Million for accepting a fight on short notice against Khamzat Chimaev.

Sean Strickland thinks Alexander Volkanovski is making 2 million dollar.
Alexander Volkanovski and Sean Strickland (Image via: MMA Fighting)

On Alexander Volkanovski taking short notice fight, Strickland spoke about his remuneration. This is what Strickland said:

They're probably bringing in Volk like 2 million, maybe even more, so like Volk's probably making more than two, maybe even more. We're talking about that Saudi money, bro. We're talking about that Saudi oil money, go pissing it and going to the toilet.
Sean Strickland on his podcast.

Both Chris Curtis and Sean Strickland believed that the main and co-main event of UFC 294 would fail to satisfy the viewers. Even though the matchup remains between top contenders, the short-notice nature would mean the fight would become one-sided.

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