Khamzat Chimaev remains unfazed by Sean Strickland’s recent threats of violence.
The two fighters are slated to face each other for Chimaev’s middleweight title defense at UFC 328 on May 9th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
As their bout approaches, the verbal sparring between Chimaev and Strickland has intensified, taking on a personal edge. Strickland recently escalated the situation by stating he would shoot anyone who approached him with malicious intent, in response to Chimaev’s comment that Strickland would “run away” before their fight.
However, Khamzat Chimaev appears unconcerned by Sean Strickland’s declarations.
Khamzat Chimaev Reacts to Sean Strickland’s Shooting Threats Before UFC 328
During a recent media availability for UFC 328, Khamzat Chimaev downplayed Sean Strickland’s gun threats, expressing no apprehension while issuing his own warning.
“I don’t know. We’ll see what’s going to happen over there. For me, the same sh*t,” Chimaev stated. “Clowns always talk. He’s not going to be a clown if he’s quiet… Bro, he didn’t shoot any chickens in the world, bro. How is he going to shoot the human. I don’t know. I don’t think so. If the guy wants a real war outside of the cage. So, if he wanted, he’d be dead already.”
To mitigate the risk of any altercations, UFC CEO Dana White has announced increased security measures throughout UFC 328 fight week to ensure the fighters remain separated until their octagon encounter. Consequently, a planned pre-fight face-off with Paramount has been canceled to prevent any further escalation, given the heated history between the two.
“Borz” is undefeated in the Octagon, with an impressive 9-0 record, including victories over notable fighters like Robert Whittaker, Kamaru Usman, and Gilbert Burns. Chimaev last competed at UFC 319 in August 2025, where he secured the middleweight championship from Dricus Du Plessis via unanimous decision.
Strickland, on the other hand, is coming off a knockout victory against Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston in February and holds a 17-7 record in the promotion, with significant wins against Paulo Costa, Israel Adesanya, and Nassourdine Imavov.
