UFC fighter Khamzat Chimaev has said he doesn’t feel the need to engage in a war of words with middleweight champion Sean Strickland, believing a fight between them will settle any disputes.
Khamzat Chimaev? He’s not one for a verbal brawl with UFC middleweight champ Sean Strickland. Why? A good ol’ fight will settle the score, no need for words.
Chimaev was at a charity event recently, raising funds for Palestine. Strickland’s controversial comments came up, especially those fiery ones he shot at Belal Muhammad on social media. You know, the ones after Muhammad’s “pray for Palestine” tweet amidst the Israel conflict. Strickland didn’t hold back.
Chimaev? He posted a similar message on his social media. But, Strickland didn’t directly address him. Chimaev’s pretty sure he knows why.
“He has to be afraid,” Chimaev said on Mohammed Hijab’s YouTube channel. “I’m coming for him.”
Chimaev’s not one to hold his tongue, but he also wants to be a good role model. That’s why he doesn’t see the point in trading online insults with Strickland.
“The fight’s in the cage,” Chimaev said. He wants to make people happy, especially those going through tough times. All the Muslims watching him, Khabib [Nurmagomedov], all the Muslim fighters, Belal [Muhammad], they know kids look up to them. “Inshallah, we try to be a good picture for them.”
“Sean Strickland, all these guys, they should be afraid of us. We fight not just for us like they do, we fight for all Muslims.”
Fun fact: Chimaev and Strickland used to train together at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. Adds a bit of spice to the potential fight, don’t you think?
Strickland shocked everyone when he won the UFC middleweight title, beating Israel Adesanya this past September. Everyone but Chimaev, that is. He had a hunch it might happen.
“I knew this fight, something was going to happen strange,” Chimaev said. He thought if Strickland knocked down in the first round, he’d win. “He won the fight. He’s one of the good fighters, not bad but for us, it’s no problem.”
Chimaev’s last UFC appearance? This past October. He won a tough match against ex-welterweight champ Kamaru Usman. Then, a torn ligament in his hand delayed his return. So, the UFC turned to Dricus Du Plesis for the next title shot.
Strickland and Du Plessis are set to fight in the UFC 297 main event on Jan. 20. But Chimaev expects to face the winner later this year.
“He has the fight now, he has a good fighter who’s fighting with him [Dricus] du Plessis, if he wins against this guy, for sure we’re going to fight,” Chimaev said. “100 percent it should be.”
“They promised me that fight. Now we’re going to wait [to see] who is winning that fight and take the belt.”