Sean Strickland reclaimed the UFC middleweight title with a split decision win over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328. Strickland stated that while their rivalry was intense, he has moved past it after the fight.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 09: (L-R) Khamzat Chimaev of Russia and Sean Strickland touch gloves prior to the UFC middleweight championship fight during the UFC 328 event at Prudential Center on May 09, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Sean Strickland did not manufacture his beef with Khamzat Chimaev, but he may have hallucinated it.
On Saturday night, Strickland added another remarkable win to his rĂ©sumĂ©, reclaiming the middleweight title with an upset win over Chimaev in the main event of UFC 328. Before the fight, much was made of the heated rivalry between the two, with UFC CEO Dana White even saying their feud was one of the most intense in UFC history, and Strickland doesnât regret a thing.
âI sell fights,â Strickland said at his post-fight press conference. âLook at the UFC, how f*cking boring it is. Really, the UFC is so f*cking boring. Do you even know half the [roster]? Other than Alex [Pereira], and he doesnât even talk. Heâs just big and scary. That guy just knocks everybody out. But other than Alex, itâs f*cking boring.â
Strickland and Chimaev certainly sold this fight, with their pre-fight press conference being one of the most-viewed in UFC history. But their beef did not last. Even before the bout, Strickland and Chimaev touched gloves and seemed to be in good spirits, and afterward, they hugged it all out, with Chimaev even wrapping the middleweight title around Stricklandâs waist. But Strickland says thatâs just what happens after sharing the field of battle with someone.
âThere is something, unless youâve experienced it, you just donât know what itâs like,â Strickland said. âWhen you go and fight another man, your soul is just exposed. When youâre f*cking bleeding, and heâs bleeding, I want to quit; he wants to quit, we donât want to be there, you just have this level of respect for one another. It transcends race, religion, nationality, country. Itâs something that you just donât know. You kind of become someoneâs brother after you and him try to die, win or lose.â
Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev by split decision to reclaim the UFC middleweight title at UFC 328.
Strickland believes rivalries sell fights and adds excitement to the UFC, which he finds otherwise boring.
Dana White described the rivalry as one of the most intense in UFC history prior to their fight at UFC 328.
Strickland criticized the UFC as being 'boring' and mentioned that few fighters, like Alex Pereira, stand out.
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Of course, not everyone agrees. Some fans viewed their behavior before and after the fight as a sign that Chimaev and Strickland were never as antagonistic toward one another as they portrayed, merely playing the beef up to draw interest in the fight. Strickland rejects that entirely.
âAt the moment, the guy kicked me in the balls! What the f*ck!â Strickland said.
âI donât like to be threatened. And maybe itâs just who he is as a person, but when he was in the gym, he was really threatening. He had that threatening demeanor. And maybe itâs that little man inside of me, but when you threaten me, I want to f*cking murder you. I want to kill you. And maybe he didnât take it that way. Maybe itâs just his Chechen sense of humor, but always in the gym, he was trying to punk me. Where I was like, âLetâs go spar,â and we would never spar.â
That being said, Strickland also recognizes that heâs not the most stable person, and did allow that itâs possible all of his issues with Chimaev were made up ⊠inside his own head.
âI could have manufactured the whole situation in my head, to be honest,â Strickland added. âThereâs times when youâre mentally not well, youâll have interactions with people, and sometimes your brain thinks something else happened. ⊠So, thereâs a chance that I just hallucinated that entire interaction with Chimaev.â
Hallucinated or not, it seems like Strickland wonât have to deal with Chimaev again anytime soon. After the fight, Chimaev told UFC CEO Dana White he intends to move up to 205 pounds, and Strickland thinks thatâs a great idea for his new brother in arms.
âAt the end of the day, I heard he said he might want to move up to 205, and he should,â Strickland said. âIf that weight cut is killing you, go to 205, enjoy life. Itâs way easier competition.â
Strickland, meanwhile, now once again has the onus of defending the middleweight title, and first up seems like a rematch with Nassourdine Imavov, which the champ is ready to accept.
âI truly believe in UFC rankings,â Strickland said. âI think they f*cking matter, and I hate when guys jump them. So, if thatâs what the UFC, thatâs the rankings, thatâs who it is. Letâs go!â