A physical altercation occurred during the UFC 328 face-off when Khamzat Chimaev kicked Sean Strickland in the leg. According to a dialogue transcription, Strickland provoked Chimaev by repeatedly calling him derogatory names and claiming he wouldn't do anything. Dana White attempted to intervene and calm the situation. Chimaev responded by saying he would beat Strickland before delivering the kick. Following the incident, Strickland commented on social media that this was exactly what he expected from a coward, suggesting he anticipated such behavior from Chimaev.
Tensions between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev boiled over ahead of UFC 328 when Chimaev kicked Strickland in the leg during their face-off on May 7, two days before the event. Dana White stepped in to try to defuse the confrontation, but not before the physical exchange had already taken place. Strickland later took to social media to call Chimaev a coward, saying the incident was exactly what he had expected.
Strickland, 35, enters UFC 328 as the reigning middleweight champion, carrying a 31-7-0 record. The American fighter, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, is known for his relentless output, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute with a 76-inch reach to work from. He has held the 185-pound title and remains one of the division's most durable and active competitors.
Chimaev, the number-one-ranked middleweight and number-ten pound-for-pound fighter in the world, comes in at 15-1-0 with a reputation built as much on wrestling as striking. The 32-year-old, representing the United Arab Emirates out of Allstars Training Center, averages an imposing 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands strikes at 60 percent accuracy. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, he is one of the most complete fighters in the weight class.
Why it matters
- The altercation adds genuine animosity to an already high-stakes title fight
- A Chimaev win would make him the middleweight champion and push him further up the pound-for-pound rankings
- The style contrast is stark: Strickland's high-volume striking versus Chimaev's elite wrestling and accuracy
- Strickland's public response signals he intends to use the moment as psychological leverage heading into fight night
Saturday, May 9, 2026
