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Khamzat Chimaev not out to hurt Sean Strickland at UFC 328, but āon the streetā¦ if he dies, he diesā
TL;DR
Khamzat Chimaev is set to fight Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark, N.J., emphasizing that it's better to face each other in the octagon than on the street. UFC CEO Dana White has stated that the fighters will be kept apart until the event due to their volatile personalities.
Key points
- Khamzat Chimaev fights Sean Strickland at UFC 328.
- The fight is on May 9 in Newark, New Jersey.
- UFC plans to keep the fighters apart until the event.
Mentioned in this story
Newark, New Jersey
Khamzat ChimaevSean StricklandUFC 328
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 15: Khamzat Chimaev of Russia poses on the scale during the UFC 319 ceremonial weigh-in at Radius Chicago on August 15, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
Khamzat Chimaev thinks itās a good thing Sean Strickland is fighting him at UFC 328 and not outside of the octagon.
The May 9 main event in Newark, N.J. sees Chimaev going for his first middleweight title defense against former champion Strickland, a fighter known for having no filter when it comes to building a rivalry. Chimaev and Strickland have already had plenty to say about each other and are both known for their volatile personalities, to the point that UFC CEO Dana White has said the promotion plans to keep the fighters far apart from each other until itās time to make the walk to the cage.
In a vlog uploaded by Adam Zubayraev, Chimaev responded to a social media comment asking if security will have to pull him off of Strickland even if heās finished his opponent.
āI donāt want to kill a man,ā Chimaev said (Russian translation via Zubayraev). āHaram. ā¦ No. They wouldnāt let me kill him there anyway. Out on the street, thatās differentāif he dies, he dies. But in the cage, itās sport.ā
Chimaev won the middleweight title with a grinding five-round decision win over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 this past August, but prior to that much-maligned performance, he had earned a reputation for exciting finishes. The undefeated Chimaev ran through his first four UFC opponents, including a 17-second knockout over Gerald Meerschart and first-round finishes over Li Jingliang and Rhys McKee. His first fight that went to a decision was a thrilling three-rounder against longtime welterweight contender Gilbert Burns that earned both men a Fight of the Night award.
Heading into his duel with Strickland, Chimaev has no preference as to how he gets his hand raised.
āHonestly, I donāt think about that at all,ā Chimaev said. āIām just training for now. Whatever happens, happens. ā¦ I always picture victory, but only the Almighty knows how it will happen. By any means.ā
Q&A
What is the date and location of the UFC 328 fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland?
The UFC 328 fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland is scheduled for May 9 in Newark, New Jersey.
Why does Khamzat Chimaev believe it's better to fight Sean Strickland in the octagon?
Khamzat Chimaev thinks it's a good thing to fight Sean Strickland in the octagon rather than outside of it, implying that the controlled environment is safer.
What precautions is UFC taking regarding Chimaev and Strickland before UFC 328?
UFC CEO Dana White has indicated that the promotion plans to keep Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland separated until the fight to avoid any potential conflicts.
