The tension between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev boiled over again Friday night at the UFC 328 ceremonial weigh-ins.
After the two nearly came to blows during Thursday’s press conference faceoff, the UFC made sure there was plenty of distance between them this time around. Security stayed close as both fighters entered the stage ahead of Saturday’s middleweight title fight at Prudential Center in Newark.
Even with the separation, Strickland still found a way to fire shots at the champion.
“I’ll be fcking quick, you guys: This fcking coward tried to fcking kick me in the nuts like a fcking pussy!”
“You’re a fcking punch bitch! This fcking bitch didn’t even make weight, you cheating fck! Fck you, you son of a whore! Bitch!”
The comments about the weight loss stem from the official weigh-ins, where it appeared that the weights were not completely still before Khamzat stepped off the scale.
Chimaev keeps his response short
Chimaev did not match Strickland’s energy on the microphone.
The middleweight champion appeared drained during Friday morning’s official weigh-ins after a difficult cut down to 185 pounds, though he successfully made championship weight.
When it was his turn to speak during the ceremonial event, Chimaev kept things brief.
“I love this bullshit boy,” Chimaev said. “I’m gonna show you tomorrow night.”
The hostility between the two has steadily grown throughout fight week. Things escalated Thursday when Chimaev kicked Strickland during their faceoff before security rushed in to separate them.
Now the rivalry heads into fight night with even more heat behind it as Chimaev prepares for the first defense of his middleweight title against one of the division’s most outspoken contenders.