Khamzat Chimaev has a complicated relationship with Sean Strickland’s relentless trash talk heading into UFC 328, simultaneously expressing contempt for the content and genuine appreciation for what it has done to his bank account.
Speaking at a media scrum on Tuesday in Newark, Chimaev was candid about the financial upside of sharing a card with one of the sport’s most polarizing mouths.
“I love him. I don’t know they pay good for him. That’s the important thing. I never made that much money before. That’s good.”
He also revealed he has been actively looking for Strickland since arriving in New Jersey, with the UFC’s separation protocol being the only thing keeping the two apart.
“Let him come. I think they took him to some other hotel so maybe thinks so. I tried to find the guy and that’s not so much personal. The guy just talks too much. I don’t think it’s that possible to happen. Because they don’t let me see this guy.”
When asked about Strickland’s gun threat and whether it registered as a genuine concern, Chimaev dismissed it in a way that made clear no amount of verbal escalation is going to affect his mindset.
“Where is he? I’ve been here three days in the lobby and the guy said he’s going to shoot me. Let’s go. Do that. I will be happy to die. Do you think I care about what he says? When it comes time to die, I will be happy. All my life I’ve heard stuff like that. I don’t care about that.”
On the possibility of a post-fight handshake, Chimaev offered the clearest possible window into how he views relationships with opponents.
“What’s the point if I shake hands or not after the fight? I beat him up, maybe never see him again. The other 15 guys who I beat, I almost didn’t see them again. I don’t care about his life. I care about my life.”
UFC 328 takes place Saturday, May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, streaming on Paramount+.