Sean Strickland spent the day in Newport Beach, California, where Khamzat Chimaev is currently training, and repeatedly tagged his location on social media hoping to encounter Chimaev's team. Strickland stated he was responding to comments Chimaev allegedly made about trying to kill him on the street. According to Strickland, he was within ten minutes of Chimaev's gym all day and believes fighters training with Chimaev saw his stories and should have informed him. Strickland expressed disappointment that Chimaev did not show up, saying he is the last guy in America Chimaev should be calling out. The incident escalates the pre-fight tension between the two middleweights.
