The middleweight division got much more interesting after UFC 308’s co-main event shocker. Khamzat Chimaev, the undefeated phenom from Chechnya, made a thunderous statement by dismantling Robert Whittaker. This performance had the entire MMA world buzzing. But perhaps no one was more fired up than current #1 contender Sean Strickland, who couldn’t help but slide into Chael Sonnen’s DMs with some choice words.
The aftermath of Chimaev’s victory brought out the classic Strickland fans know. In a text message to Sonnen that was later revealed on “Good Guy / Bad Guy,” Strickland made it crystal clear that he’s not about to let ‘Borz‘ cut the line.
‘I’m next in line. It has been said, it has been written’ — I wish he would’ve elaborated on that. ‘After I beat Dricus up, Chimaev can step up. And to the point that Chimaev is a contender, I welcome that, but I have Dricus next. The man who scammed his [fans], became friends with a dictator and had to flee his homeland while staying on the run needs to tighten his own leash up a little bit. Hey Chimaev, sit down and wait your turn.”
The timing couldn’t be more dramatic. Strickland is potentially scheduled to challenge Dricus du Plessis. But Chimaev’s dominant win over Whittaker has thrown a massive wrench into the division’s plans. It’s the kind of situation that keeps UFC matchmakers up at night.
The situation perfectly encapsulates the current state of the UFC’s middleweight division. It is a powder keg of personalities and talent just waiting to explode. With du Plessis holding the crown, it remains to be seen who he will defend his title against next.
Khamzat Chimaev Reveals How He Used To Train With Sean Strickland
The tension between Chimaev and Strickland has been simmering for months beneath the surface. Before they became potential rivals in the UFC’s middleweight division, these two actually shared training mats in Sweden.
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In a revealing conversation with Michael Bisping, Chimaev finally opened up about those behind-closed-doors training sessions. And the details aren’t exactly what fans would call friendship material. According to Chimaev, he claims to have tapped out Strickland multiple times using various chokes and submissions.
“Yeah, we sparred with him and trained with the guy. I don’t know. He’s been good when we’ve been in the gym, when I go back to Sweden he starts to tweet and do some things. He didn’t like when I said that I tapped him out [in training]..chokes and many other things.”
Strickland had taken aim at Khamzat Chimaev’s life choices, particularly his relocation from Sweden to the Middle East. The former champion unleashed a barrage of criticism that went far beyond their gym encounters. And now they are on the verge of facing each other, not in training sessions, but in a real fight.
Also Read: Sean Strickland Goes On A Rant Against Kamala Harris In Profanity-Laced Post
