Overview
- Magomedov defeated Michel Pereira by unanimous decision in Baku on Saturday and used his post‑fight interview to call out middleweight champion Sean Strickland.
- In the Red Corner MMA interview Magomedov said Strickland will not leave the United States and called him a "domestic champion," arguing a title bout would require the champion to travel abroad.
- Strickland replied on X with a short, dismissive message about "levels," noting that Magomedov had just fought his teammate and undercutting the challenger’s call‑out.
- Practical barriers make a near‑term title shot unlikely because Magomedov is blind in one eye and therefore routinely denied licensing by many U.S. athletic commissions, and he remains outside the UFC middleweight top‑15 despite a 6‑1 UFC record.
- The Baku result drew criticism for repeated fouls that went unpunished and social‑media sparring — including Pereira’s ties to Strickland’s gym — which together shape public perceptions and complicate matchmaking going forward.