The UFC is planning increased security measures for UFC 328 in Newark on May 9th due to escalating tensions between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland.
The organization intends to keep the fighters in separate hotels and limit their promotional interactions ahead of the event. Both Chimaev and Strickland are described as having hot-headed temperaments, and the UFC is taking steps to prevent any confrontations before fight night.
In an interview with Oscar Willis of The Mac Life, Strickland addressed the situation and potential run-ins with Chimaev. Willis told him, "He’s already talking about, if you guys run into each other, he’ll have his friends with him and you won’t have any," to which Strickland responded, "All I’m gonna do, I’ll pull my gun out of my shoe," and later added, "But if you come up to me with three f--king Chechens that don’t speak English, I’m gonna pull my gun and I’m gonna shoot each and every one of you."
Strickland also referenced his ongoing verbal feud with Chimaev, saying, "If [Chimaev] were to come up to me like a man and say, ‘You know what, Sean? You said some things about my dad [Ramzan] Kadyrov.’ And I’m like, well you know what dude? You wh--ed yourself out, not me. ‘I wanna settle this.’ I would say ‘Let’s settle this like men."
According to the background provided, Strickland has previously had his press conference microphone turned off after a UFC Houston win when he insulted Chimaev, and he has repeatedly used an insult toward Chimaev in the buildup to UFC 328.
