Former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev’s weight cut for UFC 328 was far worse than it looked at Friday’s official weigh-in.

Khamzat Chimaev’s journey to the Octagon before UFC 328 was even worse than what would end up being a loss to Sean Strickland in his first middleweight title defense.

Chimaev lost to Strickland by split decision in the UFC 328 main event last Saturday in Newark. It was another stunning upset win for Strickland, who handed Chimaev his first loss in Mixed Martial Arts.

At Friday’s official weigh-in, there was concern that the fight wouldn’t proceed after Chimaev was the last fighter to make it to the scale. While Chimaev eventually weighed in successfully at the middleweight limit (185 pounds), he looked skeletal and drained on the scale, prompting concern for his health.

Khamzat Chimaev’s brother details harrowing journey to UFC 328 weigh-in

In an interview with Sports.RU, Chimaev’s brother, Artur, detailed a scary scene as the now-former UFC middleweight champ cut to the 185-pound limit.

https://youtu.be/ISSrkth_cSE?si=nPycQYfY80I9Yxl3

“There was a problem with the weight cut. The question became whether to cancel the fight or take the risk. When there was [2.7 pounds] left, his body shut down,” Chimaev’s brother said.

“Oxygen deprivation. His body malfunctioned. We had to stop for an hour because his health wouldn’t allow him to continue… Khamzat himself said he didn’t know how he’d fight in that condition. There was an agreement with the UFC that he would fight Jiri Prochazka at 205. The contract was already prepared, but then they asked him to fight Sean instead… so he accepted and decided to cut from [231 pounds] down to [185 pounds]. By fight time, he had only regained around [11-13 pounds]… Two weeks before the fight he weighed [214 pounds].” (h/t MMA Fighting)

Artur then raised eyebrows with his next claim that Chimaev and his team are focused on running it back with Strickland, instead of a light heavyweight move, after UFC 328.

“We’ve requested a rematch with Strickland,” Chimaev’s brother said. “There’s an event in Abu Dhabi in October and we want to do it there.

“Khamzat isn’t the type of person to move to another weight class and leave unanswered questions behind. We want the second fight. Right now we have no other goals.”

Artur’s claim contradicts UFC CEO Dana White’s post-fight claim at the UFC 328 press conference, in which the UFC head man claimed Chimaev immediately told him he wants to move up to light heavyweight full-time.

Who should Khamzat Chimaev fight next in his potential light heavyweight debut? Let us know in the comments!