Sean Strickland recently became the UFC champion, surprising Sharabutdin Magomedov.
Magomedov is scheduled to fight Michel Pereira at UFC Baku on June 27.
What happened?
Sharabutdin Magomedov expressed surprise at Sean Strickland's UFC champion win.
Strickland's training partner, Michel Pereira, will face Magomedov at UFC Baku.
Magomedov thinks Strickland's title win over Khamzat Chimaev was unexpected.
Why it matters for Sean Strickland
Magomedov calls Strickland an "interesting" fighter and a hard worker.
Strickland's win came as a surprise to Magomedov, who wonders if he could beat Strickland.
Magomedov has a 16-1 record and is currently 5-1 in the UFC.
What comes next?
Magomedov will face Pereira at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Pereira recently rebounded from a three-fight slump with an upset win over Zachary Reese.
Strickland was seen helping Pereira by imitating Magomedov's flashy style in sparring.
Magomedov doesn't think Strickland can imitate his style successfully in a real fight.
As of June 21, 2026, Magomedov is confident in his abilities to take on Strickland.
Magomedov has since rebounded from his lone professional loss against Michael Page.
He won a decision over Marc-Andre Barriault after the loss.
Magomedov wants his fans to consider if he could beat Sean Strickland and become the champion.