In the aftermath of Khamzat Chimaev's stunning title loss at UFC 328, the MMA world has been quick to point fingers—but fellow fighter Arman Tsarukyan is stepping up to defend a man at the center of the criticism: strength and conditioning coach Sam Calavitta.

Chimaev (15-1) saw his middleweight reign cut short earlier this month when he fell to Sean Strickland. The fight took a dramatic turn in the second round as Chimaev appeared visibly fatigued, forcing him to abandon his usually dominant wrestling game. Since then, fans and analysts have questioned the training methods at The Treigning Lab in California, where Calavitta oversees Chimaev's preparation.

But Tsarukyan, who trains alongside Chimaev under "Coach Cal" at the facility known as "The Garage," isn't buying the criticism. He points out a convenient case of selective memory among MMA fans.

"When you lose, everybody is trying to find excuses," Tsarukyan said on the "Jaxxon Podcast." "But when he won his title, everybody said 'Coach Cal' did a great job. People are always gonna say something, and you gotta take it."

Tsarukyan's perspective carries weight—he's been in the trenches with Chimaev, grinding through the same grueling sessions. He emphasizes that strength and conditioning, while important, is just one piece of a much larger puzzle in fight preparation.

"Strength and conditioning is not MMA. It gives you good cardio, but if you are not wrestling, not sparring, if you don't like to work on your technique, this garage work is not gonna help you," Tsarukyan explained. "It's like 5%, maximum 10% of your MMA fight. It's not a big deal."

The loss has sparked broader questions about Chimaev's training structure. Former champion Kamaru Usman noted that Tsarukyan—who hasn't even fought for a title himself—appeared to be leading Chimaev's corner at UFC 328, suggesting a lack of clear leadership. Meanwhile, Firas Zahabi, the legendary coach behind Georges St-Pierre, has publicly urged Chimaev to join Tristar Gym, hinting that the undefeated star may need a more traditional MMA head coach to reach his full potential.

For now, Tsarukyan remains steadfast in his defense of Calavitta, reminding the MMA community that one bad night doesn't erase years of proven results. In a sport where every detail is scrutinized, sometimes the simplest truth is the hardest to accept: fights are won and lost in the cage, not just in the gym.