UFC Veteran Questions If Sean Strickland’s Gun Threat to Khamzat Chimaev Went Too Far for UFC 328 Promotion

Chael Sonnen recently pumped the brakes on Sean Strickland’s escalating rivalry with Khamzat Chimaev, questioning whether the middleweight challenger crossed a line when he threatened to shoot the defending champion on social media ahead of UFC 328.

The tension between Chimaev and Strickland has been building for months. What started as typical prefight banter shifted dramatically when Strickland made his intentions clear: he would be armed when Chimaev arrived and would not hesitate to use it if jumped by his team.

Chael Sonnen Breaks Down Why Sean Strickland’s ‘I’m Going to Shoot You’ Comment Crossed a Line Before UFC 328

“I felt like the ‘I’m going to shoot you’ comment took some of the fun out of it,” Sonnen explained. “I wish that phrase wasn’t used.” The Hall of Famer then added: Strickland isn’t simply running his mouth. “By the way, I don’t know that he was kidding. He’s someone who practices his Second Amendment rights. He does have a concealed carry. He is trained with a weapon.” Strickland actually has the legal and practical means to do what he’s saying which transformed the entire dynamic of the confrontation.

“I felt like the ‘I’m going to shoot you’ comment took some of the fun out of it. I wish that phrase wasn’t used.

By the way, I don’t know that he was kidding. He’s someone who practices his Second Amendment rights.

He does have a concealed carry. He is trained with a weapon. I… pic.twitter.com/A4Uz2Apj28

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 4, 2026

Ariel Helwani expressed concern that the escalation could spiral out of control before fight night, worrying the UFC might need to cancel the event entirely. Sonnen, who appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show, offered his perspective on why this particular moment felt different from the typical trash talk that defines MMA promotion.

Sonnen’s core concern centers on where the line sits between hype and reality. Throughout his career, the retired fighter engaged in heated rivalries but did not face confrontations that crossed from words into physical altercations. He understands the environment intimately. Yet even with that background, introducing weapons into the equation represents uncharted territory for modern UFC promotion.

“I don’t like that theme,” Sonnen concluded regarding the implications of Strickland’s statement.