Sean Strickland: Khamzat Chimaev’s Fans ‘Have No Dignity’
Sean Strickland has pushed back against the visible police presence around him during UFC 328 fight week, framing it as overkill while using it to fire more shots at middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev and his entourage.
Video and reports from fight week show law enforcement stationed around the host hotel and fighter areas, part of a wider security plan the UFC put in place for the Chimaev–Strickland main event in New Jersey. Asked about officers standing guard near him, Strickland dismissed the need for that level of protection.
‘Third World Dogs’ Strickland Doubles Down, Says Chimaev’s Fans Lack Dignity
Strickland said he thinks “security is pretty not necessary,” arguing that Chimaev himself would not engage him in a real fight outside the cage. Instead, he claimed the danger would come from what he described as Chimaev’s “ten friends,” warning that if any of them tried to jump him, the promotion would “lose a lot of money.”
“I think security isn’t necessary. Chimaev won’t fight me but if one of his ten friends do then they will lose a lot of money. My fans would never jump you because they have dignity unlike you, you third world f-cking dog”
From there, Strickland shifted to his fanbase, insisting his supporters “have dignity” and would never swarm or assault an opponent. He contrasted that with the behavior he attributes to Chimaev’s circle, calling the idea of group attacks cowardly. In typical Strickland fashion, the message was wrapped in profanity and insult, continuing a pattern of inflammatory language that has followed him across multiple fight weeks.
The backdrop to Strickland’s remarks is an unusually tight security plan by the UFC for UFC 328. UFC president Dana White has already confirmed extra measures for this fight week, including more security staff, law enforcement on site at hotels and venues, and even plans to house Chimaev and Strickland in separate hotels to reduce the chance of an uncontrolled confrontation. That approach reflects how personal the feud has become, with the two exchanging insults about culture, religion, and lifestyle across interviews and social media for months.
Chimaev, for his part, has taken a different angle on the added police presence. In a recent interview, he said he is not worried about a backstage clash and claimed the security is “for Sean Strickland’s safety,” flipping the narrative back on the challenger while keeping the rivalry in the headlines. Combined with Strickland’s new comments, the result is a main event that feels volatile even by modern UFC standards.
Strickland and Chimaev have history from hard sparring sessions and years of public back‑and‑forth, and that tension has now bled into every part of UFC 328 fight week. Their recent press events have featured walk‑offs, shouted threats, and accusations of crossing lines for publicity, adding to concern that an off‑camera incident could jeopardize the middleweight title fight. That risk appears to be a key reason the UFC has leaned on police and upgraded security instead of relying on standard fight‑week protocols.
