Former Champ Calls Out Sean Strickland, Khamzat Chimaev For ‘Fake’ UFC 328 Bad Blood
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Jiri Prochazka took a swing at Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev over their UFC 328 buildup this morning on X. He questioned the shift from presser chaos to post-fight grins after Strickland took the middleweight belt by split decision. Prochazka laid it out plain from his spot in the Czech Republic.
Sean Strickland grabbed the UFC middleweight title from Khamzat Chimaev with a split decision at UFC 328 last Saturday in Newark, New Jersey. Judges scored it 48-47 for Strickland on two cards and 48-47 for Chimaev on the third after five rounds at the Prudential Center. The win marked Strickland’s second time as champion and dropped Chimaev to 15-1.
Former Champ Blasts Sean Strickland, Khamzat Chimaev For Switch-Up After UFC 328
Fight week kicked off with tension at the press conference. Chimaev kicked Strickland during a faceoff, sparking a brawl after promising he would not touch him. Both traded insults, with Strickland tossing in some edgy jokes that Chimaev took personally. Days later, they touched gloves and hugged in the cage post-fight.
Strickland later called Chimaev a good guy on the post-fight show. He said his comments were jokes that did not always land across cultures, and he played them up to sell tickets. Chimaev’s friends had checked with Strickland before the event, and he owned up to the promo tactics then.
Jiri Prochazka, ex-light heavyweight champ from the Czech Republic, posted his take on X the next morning. He wrote: “whatever was decided, it was already before the match. You can show the world anything, but you have to live this role to the fullest. Big congrats to Sean, to show strength and handle this pressure. On the other side, pure hate in press conference and smile in the cage ? No, we are Warriors and its our mission to handle fully the fire in our heart and stillness in our mind. Good morning from Czech, lets go to Training Chapter 1.”
Prochazka was not impressed and called out the switch from presser rage to cage smiles, saying fighters need to match words with warrior mindset. Fans and outlets picked up the post quick.
Prochazka knows the game from his own run. He held the 205-pound belt before losses to Alex Pereira. Now back in training, he used the moment to drop a philosophy on real vs. fake fire in MMA. Strickland’s camp has not hit back yet, but the online buzz keeps rolling.
