Summary of this article
Khamzat Chimaev and Sean will face-off at the UFC 328 event
Both fighters went at each other in the press conference
Strickland called Chimaev a 'terrorist'
Dana White allowed Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland to face off after the UFC 328 press conference but things took an awry turn. The fighters were brought on stage after spending most part of the presser cussing at each other.
White stood as peacemaker between the two fighters as both Chimaev and Strickland hurled abuses. Strickland hit back at Chimaev as the latter stated that 'I'm not going to touch you' as the two almost squared up on stage despite the security being beefed up around them.
“You ain’t going to do shit,” Strickland then shouted at Chimaev.
Few seconds later, Chimaev actually kicked Strickland as pandemonium erupted on stage with security grabbing both the fighters and looking to drag them away before the situation escalated any further.
Strickland struggled to break free as he wanted to go after Chimaev but security personnel did not allow the former to do so. However, he continued to hurl abuses at Chimaev and called him a 'terrorist' because of his ties to Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov.
Chimaev shrugged off the accusation until the fighters shared the stage for the fight press conference and gleefully leaned into the stereotype.
“I am terrorist for him,” Chimaev said. “I’m going to take off his head. I’m going to kill him. Allahu Akbar! Woo!”
Chimaev is a Muslim known to shout “Allahu Akbar,” which essentially means Allah is the greatest, a religious phrase which has only enraged Strickland, who has said “we live in a world right now where we’re forced to conform to ideologies and beliefs that don’t fit America.”
“I am terrorist for him,” Chimaev said. “I’m going to take off his head. I’m going to kill him. Allahu Akbar! Woo!”
Chimaev is a Muslim known to shout “Allahu Akbar,” which essentially means Allah is the greatest, a religious phrase which has only enraged Strickland, who has said “we live in a world right now where we’re forced to conform to ideologies and beliefs that don’t fit America.”
Following the conclusion of the press conference, Strickland took to X where he reacted to the faceoff and the kick from Chimaev.
“Exactly what I expected a coward to do,” he wrote.
Given how things played between the two throughout the presser, both the UFC fighters were not allowed to face-off at the ceremonial weigh-ins.
