Sean Strickland says conflict with Khamzat Chimaev was real but hate is past

Sean Strickland confirmed that his conflict with Khamzat Chimaev was genuine but stated that the hatred between them is now in the past. Following their recent bout, Strickland acknowledged that they had just spent time trying to shorten each other's lives in the octagon. Despite the intensity of their rivalry, Strickland expressed well wishes for Chimaev and said he hopes the Chechen fighter will tear through the middleweight division up to 93 kilograms. The statement suggests a reconciliation or mutual respect developed after their fight concluded. This represents a significant shift in tone from the pre-fight animosity between the two fighters.