Chimaev kicks Strickland during UFC 328 faceoff altercation

At the UFC 328 faceoff, Khamzat Chimaev kicked Sean Strickland in the leg after a heated verbal exchange. Dana White attempted to calm the situation, telling both fighters to behave. Strickland taunted Chimaev, calling him a coward and claiming he would do nothing, which provoked Chimaev to respond aggressively before landing the kick. Strickland later commented that the incident was exactly what he expected from a coward. The altercation escalated tensions ahead of their upcoming fight.