Overview
- Following his unanimous decision win in Baku, Shara Magomedov publicly called middleweight champion Sean Strickland a "domestic champion" who avoids fighting outside the United States.
- Strickland replied on X with a mocking one‑liner that pointed out Magomedov fought his teammate rather than challenging him directly.
- Magomedov is blind in one eye and most U.S. athletic commissions have not licensed him to compete there so the UFC has staged his bouts at international events.
- The Baku victory drew criticism because referee Herb Dean repeatedly warned Magomedov for hair pulling and an eye poke without deducting points which critics say weakens the win’s case for rapid elevation.
- Magomedov’s 6-1 UFC record has not yet earned him a top‑15 ranking and, given Strickland’s stated refusal to defend the belt outside the U.S., matchmakers face real obstacles to booking a title fight unless medical clearances or champion preferences change.