Khamzat Chimaev Welcomes Sean Strickland to Take Online Beef to Streets: “I’m in LA”

Khamzat Chimaev slams old training partner Sean Strickland as he trains for his upcoming title fight at UFC 319.

Khamzat Chimaev Welcomes Sean Strickland to Take Online Beef to Streets: “I’m in LA”

Khamzat Chimaev mocks Sean Strickland and asks him to settle the beef face-to-face (via Imago)

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Khamzat Chimaev is currently set to fight for the UFC middleweight championship against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319. Leading up to the bout, ‘Borz’ is the betting favorite to win, with massive hype and excitement building around the fight. While preparing for the title clash, Chimaev finds himself once again pulled into his old rivalry with Sean Strickland.

Strickland and Chimaev have verbally attacked each other for over a year, but haven’t yet had the chance to fight. Both fighters previously trained together at the renowned Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas under head coach Erick Nicksick. Recently, when asked about Strickland, Chimaev didn’t hold back and challenged him directly, demanding he show up and confront him.

When I was there, he never said anything. When I left Las Vegas, when they stopped my [travel VISA], he started to talk. When I came back, I’m in Los Angeles. Come on. If it’s something personal for you, just come. I’m here. Whenever he wants.

Khamzat Chimaev via The MMA Fighting

Chimaev had been dealing with long-standing visa issues that prevented him from entering the United States until UFC 319. His absence raised questions, and Strickland repeatedly mocked him for it, fueling tension between the two fighters. The ‘Tarzan’ didn’t hold back and publicly pointed to Chimaev’s connections with Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov as the reason.

This added a political layer to their feud, intensifying public interest and making the rivalry far more personal and emotionally charged. Chimaev responded by threatening to release unseen footage of him dominating the American during their previous sparring sessions. Since then, Strickland has lost two consecutive title fights, and fans are now questioning his passion and intent as a fighter.

What did Sean Strickland say about Khamzat Chimaev? 

Khamzat Chimaev burst onto the UFC scene with a dominant run, defeating fighters like Gilbert Burns, Kevin Holland, and Li Jingliang. His aggressive wrestling, relentless pressure, and unmatched confidence made him a fan favorite and a nightmare for anyone. ‘Borz’ later defeated former champions Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker, solidifying his status as the rightful title contender.

Sean Strickland predicts Khamzat Chimaev vs. Dricus du Plessis
Sean Strickland predicts Khamzat Chimaev vs. Dricus du Plessis (via X)

The fighter is well known for his intense training style, often going full throttle and aggressive even during routine sparring sessions. While training at Xtreme Couture, Sean Strickland once confronted Chimaev and told him to control himself and be more careful. In a recent interview, ‘Tarzan’ doubled down on those claims and openly questioned Chimaev’s mentality, attitude, and overall personality traits.

I was there when he (Chimaev) retired from COVID. I was training with him. There’s a video of me — I was like, ‘Oh, you’re so good, you’re better than everybody,’ like I’m being sarcastic….You can pick high-level UFC fighters, but you’re picking 1–1 because you think he’s the same height as your opponent. No dude, you’re picking him because you’re a b*tch, dude. Mentally, he’s just a weak man.

Sean Strickland via Red Corner MMA

Strickland also gave his expert opinion on the upcoming title fight, confidently picking Dricus Du Plessis to defeat Chimaev. The American has already fought Du Plessis twice and failed to secure a win on both occasions.

The first fight was a lot closer and many thought Strickland did enough to win the bout. However, the rematch saw DDP comfortably outpoint the American fighter to secure victory. According to Sean Strickland, Chimaev’s wrestling threat is overrated, and he strongly believes that DDP has the skills to neutralize it.

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