‘If A Person Asks For Forgiveness, I Can Forgive Him’

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 09: Khamzat Chimaev of the United Arab Emirates and Sean Strickland of the United States hug after their middleweight title bout during UFC 328 at the Prudential Center on May 09, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland were unexpectedly cordial at UFC 328.

There was a fairly endless amount of personal insults traded and bad blood exchanged in the lead up to their five-round Middleweight title fight, yet the duo still touched gloves at the start of the fight. As the bout wore on and both men grew bloody, they showed respect with further glove touches. After the bout concluded and Strickland was named the victor in a stunning upset (scorecards here), Khamzat wrapped the belt around his opponent’s waist, while Strickland apologized for his words in his post-fight interview.

Not everybody was impressed by the display of civility, and there’s been some backlash towards Strickland for openly admitting that he was trying to sell the fight. Speaking to his fans on social media, Khamzat explained his decision to forgive Strickland.