Sean Strickland has issued a grave warning to Khamzat Chimaev and his associates ahead of their highly anticipated championship bout.
Strickland is slated to challenge the reigning middleweight champion, Chimaev, in the main event of UFC 328, scheduled for May 9th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
The rivalry between Strickland and Chimaev is one of the most intense in recent memory, with tensions escalating as their fight date approaches. To preempt any physical altercations, UFC CEO Dana White has announced increased security measures throughout fight week, aiming to keep the fighters apart before they enter the Octagon.
These enhanced precautions have also led to the cancellation of a planned pre-fight faceoff segment with Paramount. This promotional event, typically used to build hype, has been called off as the UFC prioritizes maintaining separation between the two competitors due to their history.
Despite these efforts to de-escalate, animosity between the camps continues to simmer. Sean Strickland has explicitly detailed severe repercussions should “Borz” and his entourage attempt to confront him.
Sean Strickland’s Dire Warning: “I’ll Shoot” Khamzat Chimaev If Confronted Before UFC 328
During a recent media availability for UFC 328, Sean Strickland directly responded to Khamzat Chimaev’s assertion that Strickland would “run away” or be “jumped” before their fight. The former middleweight champion vehemently denied this possibility, asserting his unwillingness to back down and issuing a stark threat to use a firearm against anyone who initiates a confrontation.
“What I’m going to do is pull my gun and shoot him,” Strickland stated. “…If you come up to me with three fu*king goat-fu*ker 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 over Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston in February. His UFC record stands at 17 wins and 7 losses, with significant wins against notable opponents like Paulo Costa, Israel Adesanya, and Nassourdine Imavov.
Chimaev’s most recent appearance was at UFC 319 in August 2025, where he secured the middleweight title by defeating Dricus Du Plessis. “Borz” remains undefeated in his nine UFC bouts, with previous victories over formidable fighters such as Robert Whittaker, Kamaru Usman, and Gilbert Burns.
