Khamzat Chimaev thinks it’s a good thing Sean Strickland is fighting him at UFC 328 and not outside of the octagon.
The May 9 main event in Newark, N.J. sees Chimaev going for his first middleweight title defense against former champion Strickland, a fighter known for having no filter when it comes to building a rivalry. Chimaev and Strickland have already had plenty to say about each other and are both known for their volatile personalities, to the point that UFC CEO Dana White has said the promotion plans to keep the fighters far apart from each other until it’s time to make the walk to the cage.
In a vlog uploaded by Adam Zubayraev, Chimaev responded to a social media comment asking if security will have to pull him off of Strickland even if he’s finished his opponent.
“I don’t want to kill a man,” Chimaev said (Russian translation via Zubayraev). “Haram. … No. They wouldn’t let me kill him there anyway. Out on the street, that’s different—if he dies, he dies. But in the cage, it’s sport.”
Chimaev won the middleweight title with a grinding five-round decision win over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 this past August, but prior to that much-maligned performance, he had earned a reputation for exciting finishes. The undefeated Chimaev ran through his first four UFC opponents, including a 17-second knockout over Gerald Meerschart and first-round finishes over Li Jingliang and Rhys McKee. His first fight that went to a decision was a thrilling three-rounder against longtime welterweight contender Gilbert Burns that earned both men a Fight of the Night award.
Heading into his duel with Strickland, Chimaev has no preference as to how he gets his hand raised.
“Honestly, I don’t think about that at all,” Chimaev said. “I’m just training for now. Whatever happens, happens. … I always picture victory, but only the Almighty knows how it will happen. By any means.”
And if by some chance, Chimaev crosses paths Strickland before fight night?
“I want to fight,” Chimaev said. “We still have to fight anyway. … I move according to the situation.”
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