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.
Khamzat Chimaev has fired back at Sean Strickland's threats of real-world violence, publicly dismissing the middleweight champion's claims that he would bring a gun to any confrontation outside the cage ahead of their UFC 329 bout scheduled for July 11.
Chimaev, who fights under the nickname "Borz," called Strickland's posturing a bluff, saying that if the American truly wanted a street fight, Strickland would already be dead. The Chechen fighter also pointed to New Jersey's large Muslim community as added context for that remark. Chimaev went further, claiming that when members of his circle approached Strickland directly, the champion immediately retreated and admitted he was only promoting the fight — a revelation Chimaev used to label Strickland "fake."
The number-one ranked middleweight contender, now 32 years old and competing out of the UAE, carries a 15-1 record and ranks tenth on the pound-for-pound list. He boasts a striking accuracy of 60 percent and averages an imposing 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes. Chimaev also recalled past sparring sessions with Strickland from his welterweight days, asserting that Strickland was unable to do anything against him then — and that he is now bigger and hungrier. He punctuated his comments with a taunt, saying he loves "white American chicken."
Strickland, 35, holds the middleweight title with a professional record of 31-7. Known for his high output, the Xtreme Couture product lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy, and he stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach.
Why it matters
- Chimaev enters as the top-ranked middleweight contender, making this a direct title challenge at UFC 329
- The pre-fight animosity adds a genuine personal edge to what was already a high-stakes divisional matchup
- Contrasting styles — Chimaev's elite grappling versus Strickland's relentless volume striking — set up a compelling stylistic clash at 185 pounds
Saturday, July 11, 2026
