Tag: Khamzat Chimaev

The UFC middleweight division is heating up with two of its most polarizing figures, Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev, making headlines for their careers and escalating tensions. Strickland has been outspoken in his criticism of Chimaev, adding fuel to an interesting rivalry.

Sean Strickland Blasts Khamzat Chimaev

The US-born Sean Strickland has had a rollercoaster career in the UFC. Known for his striking ability and controversial personality, Strickland shocked the MMA world by defeating Israel Adesanya to claim the middleweight title at UFC 293 in September 2023. He would later lose the crown to Dricus du Plessis and the two are set to rematch at UFC 312 on February 9, 2025.

‘Borz’ Khamzat Chimaev has been one of the most dominant forces in the UFC since his debut. Undefeated in his career, Chimaev’s most recent victory came against former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 308. He is widely expected to challenge the winner of the du Plessis vs. Strickland rematch for the title later this year. But mainly claim that Chimaev deserved a title shot more than Strickland did.

Strickland has also been vocal outside the Octagon, stirring controversy with his unfiltered opinions. In a recent interview, the US-born athlete said regarding Khamzat Chimaev:

“Look at the history of Chimaev, he flees his country and goes to Sweden and has this nice prosperous life with all the normal folks and then he goes back to Chechnya or wherever the f–k he’s from and he goes and gets balls deep with this dictator. The dictator is like ‘Here’s a G-wagon go train my kid and let my kid beat you up’ and Chimaev’s like ‘I signed up to be a prostitute, but you’re going too deep here’…now he has some fear for his life from this dictator, and he’s still owned….you have no dignity and you have no character.”

The animosity between Strickland and Chimaev extends beyond competition. He criticized Chimaev for fleeing Chechnya for Sweden before allegedly aligning himself with Kadyrov upon returning to Chechnya. Strickland accused him of being “owned” by the Chechen administration.

With his sights firmly set on championship gold, Khamzat Chimaev’s next move depends on the outcome of UFC 312. For Strickland, his focus is reclaiming the middleweight title at UFC 312. A victory against du Plessis would likely set up a blockbuster fight against Chimaev. Whether their differences are settled through words or fists remains to be seen.

Known for his outspoken personality, UFC athlete Sean Strickland recently targeted Khamzat Chimaev during media interviews. He criticized ‘Borz’ Khamzat Chimaev’s character. Strickland has recently attacked Chimaev for his fighting style and also for his involvement in a cryptocurrency scandal.

Sean Strickland Condemns Khamzat Chimaev

Currently top-ranked in the middleweight division, Khamzat Chimaev is eyeing a title shot in 2025. However, his reputation took a hit due to allegations of involvement in a cryptocurrency scam. Right now, the title is tied up as Dricus Du Plessis will look to defend his crown against Sean Strickland at UFC 312.

Former champion Sean Strickland has earned his reputation as a durable striker. Chimaev has quickly risen through the ranks with dominant performances, including victories over Gilbert Burns, Kevin Holland, and most recently, Robert Whittaker.

The SMASH Coin Controversy

Khamzat Chimaev faced significant backlash after promoting a cryptocurrency called “SMASH” on his social media platforms. The coin was named after his catchphrase and was marketed as an investment opportunity for fans.

However, blockchain analysts discovered that insiders associated with the coin had purchased nearly 78% of its supply before its public launch. This led to accusations of a “pump-and-dump” scheme.

In a recent interview, Sean Strickland said:

“I don’t even consider Chimaev a man, let me tell you why. That little crypto scam he had going on, I had someone approach me and say ‘Sean, I’ll give you $200k right from the start and I’ll give you 30-40% of this, we want to make a coin of you’. The moment they said that I was like you’re a f–g con artist, piece of s–t.

“I’m not going to do that I don’t give a f-k if I make a half million dollar, [or] a million dollars, I’m not going to do f–g that. What did Chimaev say [nods head]. I’m going to f–k my fans over. Chimaev can you fight, can you wrestle, sure, but I don’t look at you like a man.”

As Sean Strickland prepares for his title rematch against South Africa’s Du Plessis at UFC 312, he continues to call out Khamzat Chimaev for what he perceives as character flaws. Meanwhile, Chimaev is focused on securing his first UFC title shot later in 2025. Whether they eventually meet in the octagon or continue their rivalry through words remains to be seen.