In an interview with Adam Zubairayev, Khamzat Chimaev addressed speculation that he would not release a submission hold on Sean Strickland in their upcoming fight. When asked if security would need to separate them, Chimaev joked that killing someone is 'haram' (forbidden in Islam). He clarified that he has no intention of killing Strickland and noted that officials would not allow it anyway. Chimaev distinguished between street fighting, where such things might happen, and cage fighting, which he characterized as sport.
Khamzat Chimaev addressed questions about his fighting intentions ahead of his upcoming middleweight clash with Sean Strickland, using dark humor to dismiss speculation that he might refuse to release a submission hold on his opponent.
Speaking in an interview with Adam Zubairayev, Chimaev was asked whether security would need to physically separate the two men during the fight. He joked that killing someone is "haram" — forbidden under Islamic law — before clarifying that he has no genuine intention of harming Strickland beyond what the sport demands. Chimaev also drew a distinction between street fighting, where he implied different rules apply, and cage competition, which he described plainly as sport.
Chimaev, 32, enters the fight as the number one ranked middleweight contender and sits tenth in the pound-for-pound rankings. The fighter representing the United Arab Emirates carries a 15-1 record and trains out of Allstars Training Center. His grappling credentials are formidable — he averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and attempts 1.8 submissions in that same span — which likely prompted the original line of questioning about what happens when an opponent ends up in his grasp.
Strickland, 35, holds the middleweight championship and carries a 31-7 record. The American, who trains at Xtreme Couture, is a high-volume striker who lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute, though Chimaev's striking accuracy of 60 percent stands well above Strickland's own rate of 42 percent. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, Strickland gives up an inch in height to Chimaev, who measures six-foot-two.
Why it matters
- The fight pits the division's top contender directly against the reigning champion, with the middleweight title on the line.
- Chimaev's elite wrestling against Strickland's durable, high-output striking presents a sharp stylistic contrast.
- The interview signals that the pre-fight buildup between these two personalities is already generating significant attention.
