Khamzat Chimaev posts sparring video with Sean Strickland

Khamzat Chimaev shared sparring footage featuring middleweight champion Sean Strickland on social media ahead of their scheduled bout, giving fans a glimpse into his training camp preparation.

Strickland, nicknamed "Tarzan," enters the fight as the reigning middleweight champion at 35 years old, carrying a professional record of 31-7-0. The American fighter out of Xtreme Couture stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and has built his reputation on relentless volume striking, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy. He is an orthodox striker who keeps takedown and submission activity relatively low, averaging just 0.71 takedown attempts per 15 minutes.

Chimaev, known as "Borz," is ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound at 32 years old. The UAE-based fighter, who trains out of Allstars Training Center in Sweden, holds a record of 15-1-0 and presents a sharply contrasting profile to the champion. He lands 4.04 significant strikes per minute but does so at a striking accuracy of 60 percent, among the highest in the division. His grappling output is equally imposing, averaging 5.29 takedown attempts and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes.

Why it matters

• The clash pits the most active striker in the division against one of its most accurate and grappling-heavy challengers
• A Chimaev victory would deliver a new middleweight champion and boost his pound-for-pound standing
• Strickland defending would further cement his status against the division's top-ranked contender
• The sparring footage signals Chimaev's camp is actively preparing for the champion's high-output striking style