Khamzat Chimaev has brushed off Sean Strickland’s gun-related comments as he prepares to defend his UFC middleweight title at UFC 328.
Chimaev is scheduled to put his belt on the line against Strickland in the main event of UFC 328 on Sat., May 9, 2026, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Strickland had claimed he would bring a gun to fight week and use it if Chimaev and his team "tried anything," but the champion publicly dismissed the remarks during a UFC 328 media scrum in Newport Beach, California.
"Clowns always talk," Chimaev said, before questioning Strickland’s threats. "Bro, he hasn’t shot any chickens in the world, how is he going to shoot a human? I don’t think the guy wants a war outside the cage."
Chimaev went even further, stating, "If he wanted it, he’d be dead already," and pointing to the location of the bout as another reason he is unconcerned. "Bro, in New Jersey, this is a Muslim community, it’s my home, so I don’t think he’s going to come out with a gun there. Otherwise, there would be a lot of people in jail."
Despite the heated talk, Chimaev embraced the build-up around the middleweight title clash. "I love it," he said. "I love the UFC, I love Sean Strickland and what he’s talking about — making a big fight, letting me make money."
