Khamzat Chimaev has fired back at Conor McGregor’s latest social media claim ahead of UFC 328, questioning the Irish star’s assertion that the middleweight belt on the line this weekend is his.
Chimaev is set to defend the UFC middleweight title in the main event of UFC 328 this Saturday in Newark, N.J., where he meets Sean Strickland. McGregor had tweeted that the Chimaev vs. Strickland matchup is taking place “with my 185lb title on the line.”
Chimaev responded with disbelief. “His belt?” he said, before adding, “He lost his belt 10 years ago, so I don’t know, this guy comes off a little bit drunk or is it Proper something he’s drinking all the time? Come back to normal and work and let’s fight.”
Chimaev captured the middleweight championship at UFC 319 with a decision win over Dricus du Plessis. He has competed at both middleweight and 170 pounds and has discussed possibly moving to light heavyweight or even heavyweight, noting his comfort training with larger athletes. “I’ve always been training with heavyweight guys. I’ve trained most of my time with Alexander Gustafsson, Jimi Manuwa, Gokhan Saki from the beginning of my career and I was fighting 170. I trained with them, sparred with them, never been a problem with weight. I like to eat, have fun in the cage.”
Chimaev also touched on his striking ambitions and his friend Arman Tsarukyan, saying of a potential move to boxing, “I don’t care, boxing. I told Zuffa Boxing people think I’m just a wrestler, I don’t need to use my just boxing, I’m an MMA fighter. If I go to the boxing, I’m going to show my boxing, too,” and backing Tsarukyan against Strickland: “Yeah, of course, he can beat him now,” and “Of course, for sure,” he said.
