Khamzat Chimaev responded to Sean Strickland's threats to bring a gun to a potential confrontation in New Jersey, saying he doesn't believe Strickland truly wants a street fight. Chimaev stated that if Strickland really wanted violence outside the cage, he'd already be dead, noting that New Jersey has a large Muslim community. The Chechen fighter also reflected on past sparring sessions with Strickland when Chimaev competed at welterweight, claiming Strickland couldn't do anything against him. Chimaev added that he's now bigger and hungrier, saying he loves "white American chicken" in an apparent taunt. He characterized Strickland as fake, noting that when his friends approached Strickland, he immediately backed down saying he was just promoting the fight.
Saturday, July 11, 2026
