UFC president Dana White promised that the winner of Kamaru Usman vs Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 would receive a title shot. Well, Chimaev won, so let's match him up with middleweight champ Sean Strickland.
We're looking at a way later date for the prospective Chimaev-Strickland showdown — sometime after UFC 296, at least — but the odds are out.
Chimaev is a -190 favorite in the early odds, while Strickland comes in at a +165 underdog.
Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland Betting Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Sean Strickland | +165 |
| Khamzat Chimaev | -190 |
Odds as of Oct. 25
Once this fight is announced, these odds could easily teeter in Strickland's favor.
Until then, our odds calculator suggests Chimaev's -190 status awards him a 65.52% implied chance of victory, with a $100 bet paying out $152.53. At +165, Strickland gets a 37.74% chance, and a $100 bet cashes $265.
Chimaev vs Strickland Betting Preview: a Great UFC Middleweight title fight
Fight fans should be very, very excited about this potential title brawl.
How To Bet Chimaev vs Strickland
Observers of UFC 294 saw Khamzat explode out of the gate in Round 1, buzzing all around Usman as "Borz" looked for a submission. He tried and tried, but just couldn't get it. Then the gas tank drained a bit.
The Usman-Chimaev fight in Abu Dhabi exposed a clear blueprint for betting on Khamzat's fights: go early or go home. And that's what I'd advise for this Strickland-Chimaev matchup.
Peep the odds for Chimaev to win in Round 1 or Round 2. If those offer tasty value go for it.
At the same time, I also see a scenario where outlast Chimaevs to a decision, assuming "Tarzan" survives the early onslaught.
In the end, I'm picking the latter outcome.
Chimaev vs Strickland Betting Pick
I saw enough from Strickland at UFC 293 to throw my bankroll in his favor — at least for the Chimaev fight. My pick is eased by the fact Sean is a sizeable underdog.
