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Strickland's Warning to Chimaev: "Don't Hurt People"
4 May
Summary
- Chimaev and Strickland's rivalry began during a 2022 training session.
- Footage shows Strickland asking Chimaev to be gentle with sparring partners.
- Strickland believes Chimaev trains to bully, while Chimaev denies this.
Tensions between UFC fighters Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland escalated due to a training session in 2022. During their time at Xtreme Couture, Strickland was recorded asking Chimaev to be careful and not harm his sparring partners.
Strickland elaborated that his approach to training is to push his limits against the toughest opponents, contrasting it with what he perceives as Chimaev's tendency to bully weaker fighters. This difference in philosophy, according to Strickland, fuels their animosity.
Chimaev has refuted Strickland's claims, asserting he does not bully opponents. He suggested that some individuals may simply prefer less rigorous training sessions, hinting at differing training ethics.
This underlying conflict has been highlighted ahead of their upcoming title fight, with Strickland also criticizing Chimaev's recent training sessions with Brendan Allen.
