Khamzat Chimaev addressed fan speculation about whether he would refuse to release a submission on Sean Strickland in their upcoming fight. When asked if he might not let go of a submission, requiring security to intervene, Chimaev laughed and said he doesn't want to kill anyone because "it's haram." He clarified that he has no intention of killing Strickland, joking that officials wouldn't allow it anyway. Chimaev noted that while on the street such things might happen, inside the cage it's a sport. The interview highlighted ongoing tension and anticipation around their scheduled bout.
Khamzat Chimaev addressed fan speculation head-on this week, clarifying that he has no plans to injure Sean Strickland when the two middleweight contenders meet in their upcoming bout.
The comments came after fans questioned whether Chimaev might refuse to release a submission hold on Strickland, potentially requiring security to step in. Chimaev laughed off the idea, explaining that killing anyone is forbidden in his faith — "it's haram" — and that while such things might happen in a street altercation, inside the cage it remains a sport. He also joked that officials would hardly allow it regardless.
Chimaev, 32, enters the fight as the number-one ranked middleweight and sits at number ten in the pound-for-pound standings. The fighter from the United Arab Emirates carries a 15-1 record and trains out of Allstars Training Center. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, he is one of the division's most dangerous grapplers, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, while landing strikes at a 60 percent accuracy rate.
Strickland, meanwhile, holds the middleweight championship and brings a 31-7 record into the contest. The 35-year-old American trains at Xtreme Couture and stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach. He is one of the busiest strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute, and has built his championship run largely on relentless volume and forward pressure.
Why it matters
- A Chimaev victory would hand the number-one contender the middleweight title in his division's most anticipated matchup.
- The stylistic contrast is stark: Chimaev's elite wrestling and submission threat against Strickland's high-output striking offense.
- Strickland putting the belt on the line against the division's top-ranked fighter raises the stakes considerably for the 185-pound landscape.
