Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland were already on a collision course. Now the hype to the upcoming UFC 328 has taken a much darker tone.
Chimaev is set to defend his middleweight title for the first time on May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. With fight night getting closer, the rivalry has spilled far beyond the usual back and forth.
Strickland recently said he would bring a gun to fight week and use it if Chimaev’s team “tried anything.” The comment quickly made waves and drew a strong reaction from the champion.
Chimaev fires back
Speaking during a media scrum in California, Chimaev dismissed the threat and questioned Strickland’s intent.
“Clowns always talk,” Chimaev said in an interview with TheMacLife . “Bro, he hasn’t shot any chickens in the world, how is he going to shoot a human?”
He went further when addressing the idea of things escalating outside the cage.
“I don’t think the guy wants a war outside the cage; if he wanted it, he’d be dead already…”
Chimaev also pointed to the setting for fight week, suggesting the situation would not play out the way Strickland described.
“Bro, in New Jersey, this is a Muslim community, it’s my home, so I don’t think he’s going to come out with a gun there. Otherwise, there would be a lot of people in jail.”
Turning tension into hype
Even with the sharp words, Chimaev sees value in the attention the feud is getting.
“I love it,” he said. “I love the UFC, I love Sean Strickland and what he’s talking about — making a big fight, letting me make money.”
The hostility continues to build as fight week approaches, with both fighters leaning into the moment as the main event draws closer.
As tension rises, you can’t help but wonder who will win between those two. Who you got? Drop a comment!