Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has issued a strong warning to Khamzat Chimaev, stating he is prepared to use a firearm if Chimaev and his entourage attempt any confrontation before their scheduled bout at UFC 328.
Strickland is set to face the reigning middleweight champion, Chimaev, in the main event of UFC 328, which is scheduled for May 9th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The rivalry between Strickland and Chimaev has been intensifying as their fight date approaches.
In anticipation of potential altercations, UFC CEO Dana White has announced increased security measures for fight week to ensure the fighters remain separated. Due to their volatile history, even a planned pre-fight face-off with Paramount has been canceled to maintain separation between the two competitors.
Despite these precautions, tensions remain high. During a recent media scrum for UFC 328, Strickland directly addressed Chimaev’s comments about potentially confronting him. Strickland dismissed the idea of backing down and emphatically stated his intention to use a weapon if provoked.
“What I’m going to do is pull my gun and shoot him,” Strickland declared. “If you come up to me with three f***ing goat-f***er Chechens who don’t speak English, I’m going to pull my gun, and I’m going to shoot each and every one of you. I’ll be strapped in New Jersey, too, dog. You don’t even worry about that.”
Strickland is coming off a knockout victory against Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston in February. His current UFC record stands at 17-7, with significant wins over Paulo Costa, Israel Adesanya, and Nassourdine Imavov.
Khamzat Chimaev last competed at UFC 319 in August 2025, where he defeated Dricus Du Plessis to claim the middleweight title. Chimaev remains undefeated in his nine UFC appearances, with notable victories against Robert Whittaker, Kamaru Usman, and Gilbert Burns.
