Sean Strickland is made for ‘hard’ fights like Khamzat Chimaev, says Chael Sonnen

MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has given his thoughts on Sean Strickland’s upcoming fight against Khamzat Chimaev.

At UFC 328, Sean Strickland will get his chance to try and become a two-time UFC middleweight champion when he challenges Khamzat Chimaev for the belt. While many favor Chimaev to win, Sean certainly has the skills necessary to cause him some real problems.

RELATED: Sean Strickland has a good chance at unseating Khamzat Chimaev, per ex-PFL champ who will train with Strickland for UFC 328

Strickland is a controversial figure and that isn’t exactly an outlandish thing to say. He has already done and said things that would raise more than a few eyebrows and along the way, he’s made a lot of enemies. Alas, we can’t imagine that’s going to bother the man himself too much.

In a recent interview, Chael Sonnen explained why he believes Strickland has a real chance against Chimaev.

Sonnen’s view on Chimaev vs Strickland

“If he got him out of there quickly, that would surprise me,” Sonnen told MMA Junkie. “If he finished him at all, it would surprise me. Strickland is made for long-distance, hard matches. Strickland does his best work, by the way, when he’s counted out.

“He doesn’t get counted out a lot, but he was a 6-to-1 underdog against Izzy. He’s only a 4-to-1 underdog here. He won all five rounds against Izzy. There’s something about that relieving of pressure and expectation that Sean rises to. I don’t know how that fight’s going to go, but yeah, Sean’s the guy, for sure. If Sean’s not the best fighter in the world, he’s second best.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

Who are you backing to pick up the win and leave as champion? Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!