Sean Strickland’s UFC 312 media day was just as crazy as you’d expect.
The former UFC middleweight champion has earned a reputation for being an unpredictable wild man outside of the Octagon – you never know what he’s going to say or do.
Just days before his title fight rematch with Dricus du Plessis, Strickland was caught on camera falling off a motorcycle.
Now he’s launched an explicit rant at top middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev.
Sean Strickland rants about Khamzat Chimaev
Sean Strickland got personal as he targeted ‘Borz’ during UFC 312 media day.
Chimaev has a long-standing relationship with the Head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, who is currently under sanction by the United States for human rights abuses.
Over the years, the undefeated phenom has struggled to attain a visa to fight in the USA – but UFC boss Dana White insists that won’t be a problem after Chimaev’s recent relocation to the United Arab Emirates.
“We need to talk about Mr. Chimaev,” Strickland told reporters on Wednesday. “Let’s talk about this f—— guy. I keep hearing ‘Chimaev this, Chimaev that’ but what is the history and facts say about Chimaev? You guys are media, you should know this.
“Chimaev fled Chechnya with his family because of an oppressive, warlord dictator that killed people indiscriminately. No hate on him, it’s your country. He goes back to Chechnya, and he goes back to Chechnya because somebody wants to buy him a G-Wagon and he’s like, ‘Oh yeah! I’ll be that w—-. I’ll f—— do it. I’ll bend the knee for you, man. I like f—— G-Wagons!’
“Now he’s hiding out. And now what does he do? He has a Bitcoin f—— scam and he scams all of his fans.
“Let me tell you something, I had the same Bitcoin scam offer to me. It was like $100,000-$200,000. I was like, f— you, dude. I’m not going to scam my fans. I don’t need money that bad. But that’s what Chimaev did.
“So yeah, Chimaev, you can fight. You can fight. You’ve got a beard. But let history record it as you sir, are a w—-. You fled a country, you went back, and you got buddy-buddy with a dictator, and you fled again. It doesn’t matter how good of a fighter you are, you are and will always be a f—— w—-.”
What’s next for Khamzat Chimaev?
Chimaev choked out Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 to seemingly earn himself a middleweight title shot.
The 30-year-old will be watching closely when Strickland and Du Plessis rematch on Saturday night.
It seems certain that he will face the winner, but when and where remains a mystery to UFC fans.
Chimaev’s boss has assured that his title fight could take place anywhere, including in the USA.
“Don’t listen to any of that bulls—,” White responded to a question regarding Chimaev struggling to enter the USA after UFC Saudi Arabia. “He’ll get in the United States. I’m very confident that we can get him into the country.”
If for any reason Chimaev can’t fight Strickland or Du Plessis next, it’s clear who would fill his place.
Nassourdine Imavov shockingly knocked out Israel Adseanya before calling for a title shot last weekend.
It now appears to be a matter of time before he gets to fight for 185lb gold inside the UFC Octagon.