Arman Tsarukyan had a front row seat to Khamzat Chimaev’s first career loss against Sean Strickland in May at UFC 328. With a role helping the now-former middleweight champion with his camp, Tsarukyan saw the struggles Chimaev endured.
Chimaev started his lone **** le defense in typical fashion, smothering and dominating Strickland with a heavy-pressure grappling **** ault. But his success in that department waned immediately; Chimaev dropped the subsequent round and battled competitively on the feet throughout the rest of the 25-minute affair. Ultimately, Strickland walked away as the winner via split decision, making him a UFC two-time **** leholder.
Tsarukyan spoke on “The Ariel Helwani Show” Monday, explaining that the 185-pound weight cut took a serious toll on his teammate.
"After first round, he got tired," Tsarukyan told Uncrowned. "Mostly because of weight cut. He could wrestle like 25 minutes nonstop [in camp], spar 25 minutes, but his body — after when he started cutting weight, that night he felt so bad, and in the morning he had no energy. We thought it was gonna be easy. But in the morning, four pounds left, his body didn't start, so we just pushed him to cut and make weight. It was so hard. Then he said, even to me, 'If I'm going to make this weight, I might lose.' I said, 'Bro, no, no. You're gonna recover and you're gonna be good.
"I wasn't worried [that he would make weight]. At one point, when he said, 'I cannot cut weight,' I thought, 'No way,' and we started to push him, and he could make the weight. I said, 'After weigh-ins, you're gonna feel good. So, if you're not gonna feel good, let me know.' But he didn't say anything."
Chimaev started his lone **** le defense in typical fashion, smothering and dominating Strickland with a heavy-pressure grappling **** ault. But his success in that department waned immediately; Chimaev dropped the subsequent round and battled competitively on the feet throughout the rest of the 25-minute affair. Ultimately, Strickland walked away as the winner via split decision, making him a UFC two-time **** leholder.
Tsarukyan spoke on “The Ariel Helwani Show” Monday, explaining that the 185-pound weight cut took a serious toll on his teammate.
"After first round, he got tired," Tsarukyan told Uncrowned. "Mostly because of weight cut. He could wrestle like 25 minutes nonstop [in camp], spar 25 minutes, but his body — after when he started cutting weight, that night he felt so bad, and in the morning he had no energy. We thought it was gonna be easy. But in the morning, four pounds left, his body didn't start, so we just pushed him to cut and make weight. It was so hard. Then he said, even to me, 'If I'm going to make this weight, I might lose.' I said, 'Bro, no, no. You're gonna recover and you're gonna be good.
"I wasn't worried [that he would make weight]. At one point, when he said, 'I cannot cut weight,' I thought, 'No way,' and we started to push him, and he could make the weight. I said, 'After weigh-ins, you're gonna feel good. So, if you're not gonna feel good, let me know.' But he didn't say anything."
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