Alexander Shlemenko reacts to Sean Strickland’s win over Khamzat Chimaev

Russian fighter Alexander Shlemenko shared his thoughts with mma-tv.com on the outcome of the title fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland.

Shlemenko said he did not expect Chimaev to lose, although he never viewed the matchup as an easy one for him.

“I didn’t expect Chimaev to lose,” Shlemenko said. “I thought he would win, but I didn’t think it would be easy. I expected Khamzat to win by decision.”

Shlemenko added that he was well aware of Strickland’s strengths, having previously sparred with him on multiple occasions.

“I sparred a lot with Strickland, and I knew he had enough skills to defend himself,” Shlemenko said. “I knew Strickland could get back to his feet. He’s not a flashy fighter, but he’s patient, durable, and difficult to hit cleanly.”

According to Shlemenko, Strickland’s victory was surprising in terms of the final result, but not when it came to the qualities he brings as a fighter.