Leave it to Sean Strickland to create the biggest headline ahead of UFC 328. The former champion looks to regain the title on Saturday, May 9 when he square off with Khamzat Chimaev.
Strickland and Chimaev headline the event live on Paramount+ from Newark, New Jersey and the Prudential Center. The card also featuers flyweight champion Joshua Van defending against Tatsuro Taira.
But Strickland, a former champion in the middleweight division, released an incredible tirade as only “Tarzan” can during a media event to promote the fight.
Former UFC champion boldly states he will shoot opponent
“All I’m going to do, I’m going to pull my gun out and I’m going to shoot him,” Strickland said (thanks to MMA Fighting for the quotes). “If he were to come up to me like a man…I would say let’s settle this like a man.
“But if you come up to me with three (expletive) goat (expletive) Chechnyans that don’t speak English, I’m going to pull my gun and I’m going to shoot each and every one of you.”
Strickland vowed that he would be “strapped” when he arrives in New Jersey for fight-week, proceeding to mock Chimaev for his relationship with Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic.
Sean Strickland is never one to remain quiet
Throughout his mixed martial arts career, including his current run with the UFC, Strickland has always said what he means. That has gotten him in trouble in the past, including in 2022 when he proclaimed on social media that, “If I had a gay son I would think I failed as a man.”
He has also attacked women and women’s rights numerous times, even going so far as to claim the decision to give women voting rights was an error. Strickland received a suspension for his part in an incident during a Tuff-N-Uff event in Las Vegas in 2025.
Inside the Octagon, Strickland owns a record of 30-7, including a February victory over Anthony Hernandez via finish that earned him a “Performance of the Night” bonus. He won the UFC middleweight title in 2023 over Israel Adesanya, dropped it in his first defense vs. Dricus du Plessis and was unsuccessful in 2025 when he challenged du Plessis again.
