Former UFC Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping believes the post-fight cordiality between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev was genuine, despite the intense build-up. In his analysis following UFC 328, Bisping suggested that the pre-fight animosity was a mix of genuine emotion and promotional tactics, with both fighters shifting their demeanor once the championship outcome was decided.
Michael Bisping Discusses Sean Strickland & Khamzat Chimaev’s Bad Blood
Bisping refuted the notion that the rivalry was merely “handbags,” stating that anyone who holds that view “has never fought a day in their life.” He explained that the pressure of a title fight, the crowd, and the stage can lead fighters to say things they don’t entirely mean, only to cool down once the fight is over.
“It wasn’t handbags, and anyone that feels that way has never fought a day in their life. That was two guys that at that moment in time despised one another. You’re going to fight in an octagon, the emotions get the better of you, you’re in front of the stage, there’s thousands of people all cheering, and when you say some insulting words and you get a big round of applause, then that encourages you to play into that character even more.”
He characterized Strickland as “a wild guy” who speaks spontaneously, likening trash talk on fight night to saying regrettable things during a heated argument.
“Sean Strickland’s a wild guy; he says things off the cuff in the moment. It’s like when you’re arguing with your wife, you say things you don’t mean if you’re in a heated argument. Emotions sometimes get the better of you, and then later on, unless you’re an absolute stubborn fool, you’re like, ‘oh yeah, sorry about that, I don’t know why I said that, I was pissed off, I was angry over that’. You know, it’s the same thing. They went toe to toe for 5 rounds. It was a very close matchup, and realistically, it could have gone either way, but Sean got it.”
Bisping attributed the shift in mood to the five-round fight itself. He observed that the fighters went “toe to toe for 5 rounds,” giving their all in the Octagon, which naturally led to mutual respect as neither could secure a finish. This interpretation aligns with the events that followed: Strickland defeated Chimaev by split decision at UFC 328, ending Chimaev’s undefeated streak and reclaiming the middleweight title. Notably, Chimaev later placed the championship belt around Strickland’s waist, mirroring the calmer atmosphere after the final bell.
Bisping emphasized that the key factor was that neither fighter could finish the other, leading to natural respect. He described this as standard fighter psychology, suggesting that those unsettled by the friendly post-fight exchange don’t understand the mindset of high-level competitors.
“But they weren’t able to finish one another. They both left it all inside the octagon. How can you not have respect for one another at the end of that? You’re like, ‘you know what, you are a tough son of a bitch, I tried my best to get you out of there and I couldn’t do it’. Yeah, all right, leading up to it we said this and we said that, but they know how to show respect. Anyone that has an issue with that doesn’t understand a fighter’s mindset and has never stepped into a boxing ring or stepped onto any kind of competitive arena in their life, because that’s just how it goes.”
Bisping also offered insights into the potential next steps for both fighters. He suggested that Strickland has strong options in the middleweight division, while Chimaev might consider moving up to light heavyweight following his loss. He highlighted Strickland’s reveal of a shoulder injury post-fight as a testament to his performance, as he still managed to go the distance and secure the victory.
Ultimately, Bisping’s core message is that the post-UFC 328 pleasantries did not negate the prior animosity. Instead, they demonstrated how quickly fight-night emotions can shift once elite middleweights have finished their attempt to defeat each other.