Khamzat Chimaev Sends Chilling Warning After Sean Strickland’s Gun Threat Ahead Of UFC 328: “He Will Be Dead Already”
Khamzat Chimaev isn’t buying any of Sean Strickland’s threats.
Chimaev is set to make the first defense of his middleweight title against Strickland in the headlining bout of UFC 328 on May 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
In the lead-up to the fight, “Borz” and Strickland have traded increasingly heated words, with tensions appearing genuinely personal. Most recently, the former UFC 185-pound champion escalated things by saying he would shoot anyone who approached him with ill intent, responding to the Chechen’s remark that he would “run away” if confronted before their matchup.
However, Khamzat Chimaev appears largely unmoved by Sean Strickland’s remarks.
Khamzat Chimaev Reacts To Sean Strickland’s Shooting Threats Ahead Of UFC 328
During a recent media scrum for UFC 328, Khamzat Chimaev downplayed Sean Strickland’s gun threats, showing no sign of alarm while issuing a warning of his own.
“I don’t know. We’ll see what’s going to happen over there. For me, the same sh*t,” Chimaev said. “Clowns always talk. He’s not going to be a clown if he’s quiet… Bro, he didn’t shoot any chickens in the world, bro. How is he going to shoot the human. I don’t know. I don’t think so. If the guy wants a real war outside of the cage. So, if he wanted, he’d be dead already.”
To minimize the risk of any incidents, UFC CEO Dana White has confirmed that security will be ramped up throughout UFC 328 fight week to keep the two fighters apart until they meet in the Octagon. As a result, a planned pre-fight faceoff with Paramount has been scrapped, with the promotion opting to avoid any escalation given the heated history between the pair.
“Borz” hasn’t tasted defeat inside the Octagon, boasting a 9-0 run highlighted by wins over Robert Whittaker, Kamaru Usman, and Gilbert Burns. Chimaev’s most recent outing came at UFC 319 in August 2025, where he took the middleweight crown from Dricus Du Plessis by unanimous decision.
Meanwhile, Strickland enters the bout fresh off a knockout win over Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston in February and carries a 17–7 record in the promotion, with key victories over Paulo Costa, Israel Adesanya, and Nassourdine Imavov.
