Sean Strickland criticized Khamzat Chimaev during a UFC 312 media day, accusing him of fleeing Chechnya, associating with its controversial leader, and being involved in a Bitcoin scam, while also hinting at a potential future fight between them.
Sean Strickland sure has a lot to say about Khamzat Chimaev. Once upon a time, these two were training buddies at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. But those days are long gone. Now, they’re more like verbal sparring partners, taking shots at each other through the media.
During UFC 312’s media day on Wednesday, Strickland launched into an unexpected tirade against Chimaev. “We need to talk about Mr. Chimaev,” he told reporters. “Let’s talk about this f*cking guy.” He seemed fed up with the constant buzz around Chimaev and questioned the narrative surrounding him.
Strickland didn’t hold back. He brought up Chimaev fleeing Chechnya due to its oppressive regime. No hate there, but Strickland painted a picture of Chimaev returning for material perks, like a G-Wagon. “I’ll bend the knee for you, man,” he mocked. The situation got complicated, and Strickland speculated that U.S. authorities might view Chimaev as a threat now.
Chimaev’s ties with Ramzan Kadyrov, the controversial Chechen leader, came under scrutiny too. With Kadyrov sanctioned by the U.S., Chimaev reportedly moved to Abu Dhabi to sort out visa issues. But Strickland wasn’t done yet.
He accused Chimaev of scamming fans with a memecoin scheme. “Now he’s hiding out … and what does he do? He has a Bitcoin f*cking scam,” Strickland claimed. He shared how he turned down a similar offer because he refused to deceive his fans for money.
Strickland wrapped it up with some harsh words: “You can fight, you’ve got a beard, but… you are a whore.” He criticized Chimaev’s choices and alliances, regardless of his fighting prowess.
If Chimaev wants to respond, he might get his chance soon enough. Strickland is set to face Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight title at UFC 312 in Sydney this Saturday. The winner could be meeting Chimaev later this year.