In an interview with Zubayraev, Khamzat Chimaev addressed fan speculation about whether he would refuse to release a submission hold on Sean Strickland. Chimaev joked that killing someone is "haram" and confirmed he has no intention of going that far. He acknowledged that even if he wanted to, officials wouldn't allow it. Chimaev drew a distinction between street fighting and sport, emphasizing that the cage is a controlled athletic environment. The comments come ahead of a planned bout between Chimaev and Strickland.
Khamzat Chimaev has moved to quash fan speculation about his intentions in the cage, joking in a recent interview that he has no plans to seriously harm Sean Strickland when the two middleweights meet.
Speaking with Zubayraev, Chimaev addressed online chatter about whether he might refuse to release a submission hold on his opponent. He joked that killing someone is "haram," acknowledged that officials would intervene long before anything extreme could occur, and drew a clear line between street violence and professional sport, describing the cage as a controlled athletic environment.
Chimaev, 32, enters the bout as the number-one ranked middleweight and sits tenth on the pound-for-pound list, carrying a 15-1-0 record under the Allstars Training Center banner. The fighter representing the United Arab Emirates is a dominant grappler, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, with a striking accuracy of 60 percent.
Strickland, 35, is the reigning middleweight champion, holding a 31-7-0 record out of Xtreme Couture. The American stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and is one of the most active strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- A Chimaev win would hand the number-one contender his first middleweight title, completing one of the sport's most anticipated title chases.
- Strickland's high-volume output at 6.04 significant strikes per minute contrasts sharply with Chimaev's grappling-heavy approach and 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, creating a clear striker-versus-wrestler dynamic.
- Chimaev's comments, however lighthearted, underscore the intensity surrounding a fight that has generated significant fan and media attention ahead of its official staging.
