Khamzat Chimaev has published video footage showing him sparring with Sean Strickland. The post does not provide specific details about when or where the sparring session took place, or what the footage reveals about the training session. Both fighters are high-level middleweights in the UFC, making any training footage between them notable for fans. Strickland is scheduled to compete at UFC 328, making the timing of this release particularly interesting. The limited information suggests the post primarily serves to showcase the sparring footage itself.
Khamzat Chimaev stirred up the middleweight division on May 6 by releasing sparring footage of himself training alongside Sean Strickland, giving fans a rare glimpse at two of the UFC's best 185-pounders working together in the gym.
Chimaev, known as "Borz," enters the footage as one of the most feared middleweights on the roster. The 32-year-old UAE-based fighter carries a 15-1 record and holds the number-one divisional ranking as well as the tenth spot in the pound-for-pound standings. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, Chimaev is a relentless hybrid threat — he averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 60 percent of his significant strikes, among the highest accuracy figures in the division.
On the other side of the sparring mat is the middleweight champion himself. Strickland, nicknamed "Tarzan," is 35 years old and carries a 31-7 record fighting out of Xtreme Couture. The six-foot-one American owns a 76-inch reach and produces an extraordinary volume of output, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. He is already scheduled to compete at UFC 328, which adds an extra layer of intrigue to the timing of this footage drop.
Why it matters
- Chimaev is the division's top-ranked contender, meaning a Strickland matchup represents the clearest title picture in the middleweight division.
- The footage surfaces while Strickland is in active fight camp for UFC 328, raising questions about the purpose and timing of the release.
- Stylistically, Chimaev's elite wrestling and grappling volume would contrast sharply with Strickland's high-output striking game, making any eventual contest between them a genuine clash of approaches.
- The post offers no confirmed date or location for the session, leaving the full context of the sparring open to interpretation.
