Khamzat Chimaev has released video footage from a sparring session with Sean Strickland, posted on May 5th, with the caption “I am bullying weak people.” The clip originates from their training days in 2022 at Xtreme Couture, where they frequently trained together.
As UFC 328 approaches this Saturday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, this footage intensifies one of the sport’s most heated rivalries. The sparring session itself has been a point of dispute for years, with both Chimaev and Strickland offering conflicting accounts of who dominated the encounter. Strickland previously implied that Chimaev often spars with less experienced opponents to boost his confidence in controlled environments. By releasing this footage now, Chimaev seems to be directly addressing these claims, using Strickland’s own words sarcastically in his caption.
The animosity between these fighters has extended beyond typical pre-fight discussions. Strickland even posted on social media his intention to carry a firearm to fighter hotel events, stating he would confront Chimaev if he perceived any unequal treatment of their camps. In response, UFC CEO Dana White increased security measures. Chimaev later dismissed Strickland’s threats during a pre-fight press conference, calling him “a clown” and questioning his credibility.
This shared history adds complexity to their conflict. Both fighters trained in the same facility and came from similar backgrounds, leading to a familiarity that has fostered animosity rather than friendship. With no independent witnesses publicly corroborating their respective versions of the sparring incident, their competing claims remain largely anecdotal. This ambiguity has not prevented either fighter from using this past encounter in their pre-fight psychological warfare.
The release of the footage appears to be Chimaev’s attempt to control the narrative leading up to Saturday’s event, though fan reactions indicate this move may have backfired in some circles. Regardless, both fighters enter UFC 328 with genuine grievances and a shared history that has evolved into palpable animosity.