Sean Strickland says conflict with Chimaev was real but hatred is in the past

Sean Strickland has broken his silence on his relationship with Khamzat Chimaev, confirming their rivalry was genuine while making clear that any animosity has since faded following their octagon meeting.

The middleweight champion, known as "Tarzan," acknowledged the two men had spent their time together actively trying to shorten each other's lives inside the cage. Despite that, the 35-year-old American from Xtreme Couture said he now wishes Chimaev well and even expressed hope that the Chechen-born fighter will go on to dominate the light heavyweight division up to 93 kilograms. Strickland carries a 31-7-0 record and holds a six-foot-one frame with a 76-inch reach, averaging an aggressive 6.04 significant strikes per minute across his career.

Chimaev, the number-one ranked middleweight and number-ten pound-for-pound fighter on the current AgentMMA rankings, has built one of the most imposing records in the division at 15-1-0. The 32-year-old representing the United Arab Emirates and training out of Allstars Training Center is a relentless wrestler, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes. At six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, Chimaev also connects at a striking accuracy of 60 percent, the highest of the two fighters by a considerable margin.

Why it matters

• Strickland's public gesture of goodwill closes a chapter on one of middleweight's most personal rivalries
• Chimaev holds the division's number-one contender ranking, meaning the two will remain closely linked in any title picture conversation
• Strickland's comments about Chimaev moving toward light heavyweight could signal a belief that their competitive paths may diverge going forward
• The reconciliation reflects a shift in tone that may influence how both fighters are positioned in the near-term divisional landscape