Gun Threats, Hotel Lobbies, and a Title Fight. UFC 328 Fight Week

This fight week has gone completely off the rails and the two guys haven't even been in the same room yet lol.

Sean Strickland told the world he's bringing a gun to fight week. Said he has a concealed carry. Said if Chimaev and his team "try anything" he's using it. Then said he'll be "in handcuffs" by the time the fight happens. Then threatened to find Chimaev in the fighter hotel lobby because the UFC is apparently keeping them separated.

Chimaev's response? "Clowns always talk. He hasn't shot any chickens in the world, how is he going to shoot a human? If he wanted a war, he'd be dead already."

UFC 328 is in four days. The middleweight title is on the line. And Chael Sonnen just went on Ariel Helwani's show and said the gun comment "took some of the fun out of it."

How We Got Here

The Chimaev and Strickland beef didn't start with fight week trash talk. These two have actual history.

They sparred together years ago. The details of what happened in those sessions depend on who you ask, but both men have referenced it publicly and neither has nice things to say about the other. We broke down the full backstory when the fight was first announced including the gym blowup that allegedly ended with a gun. That's the foundation. Not a manufactured press conference rivalry. Not Dana putting two guys together because the styles match up. These two genuinely do not like each other and they haven't for a long time.

Chimaev signed with RAF wrestling three weeks before this fight and when someone told Dana about it his response was "who signed him to a deal?" The champion was already planning his post fight schedule before the fight was even here. That's either supreme confidence or the kind of thing that ages terribly if Strickland wins on Saturday.

Then the trash talk escalated. And escalated. And escalated some more until we got to where we are right now, which is two professional fighters making threats that have Ariel Helwani publicly worrying the UFC might need to cancel the event. Like things are actually getting so bad their worrying about cancelling LOL.

The Gun Threat

Let me lay out exactly what Strickland said because the specifics matter.

He didn't joke about bringing a gun. He said he WOULD bring a gun. He said he has a concealed carry permit. He said he's trained with weapons. And he said if Chimaev and his team "tried anything," he'd use it. Then he called Chimaev a "third world dog" and told the UFC "I will not be controlled" when they tried to keep the fighters separated during fight week.

Chael Sonnen's reaction on The Ariel Helwani Show was probably the most honest assessment anyone has given. He said "I felt like the 'I'm going to shoot you' comment took some of the fun out of it. I wish that phrase wasn't used. By the way, I don't know that he was kidding. He's someone who practices his Second Amendment rights. He does have a concealed carry. He is trained with a weapon."

That's Chael Sonnen, one of the greatest trash talkers in MMA history, saying this specific line crossed into territory that made him uncomfortable. When Chael says you went too far, you went too far bro.

Ariel went even further. He expressed concern that the whole thing could spiral out of control before fight night and that the UFC might actually have to pull the plug on the event. Whether that's realistic or not, the fact that the most connected journalist in the sport is publicly floating cancellation tells you how far off the rails this has gone.

Chimaev's Response Was Somehow Worse

Chimaev didn't back down. He never does. But his response was ugly in a different way.

"Clowns always talk. He hasn't shot any chickens in the world, how is he going to shoot a human? If he wanted a war, he'd be dead already."

"If he wanted it, he'd be dead already" is not typical fight promotion. That's a direct counter threat. Then Chimaev posted a photo on X that he claimed was Strickland with his father, captioned "this picture shows everything, who is the man, who is the girl?" The photo reportedly wasn't even Strickland's actual father.

Then Strickland said the UFC is keeping them separated because Chimaev's team travels deep and he called them a security risk. He said he sent Chimaev his location and Chimaev didn't show up. Chimaev said Newark is "a Muslim community, it's my home" and implied Strickland would be outnumbered if he actually showed up looking for trouble.

This isn't Conor McGregor throwing a dolly at a bus. This is two guys with genuine animosity making threats that sound less like fight promotion and more like something that could end with someone getting arrested before they ever make it to the cage.

The Fight Itself

Okay. Deep breath. Let's actually talk about Saturday because there IS a fight at the end of all this nonsense and it's genuinely one of the best title fights the UFC has put together this year.

Khamzat Chimaev. 15-0. Middleweight champion. Won the belt by dominating Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319. His wrestling is suffocating. His power is real. His cardio has improved significantly since moving to 185 from welterweight. He manhandled Robert Whittaker so badly he broke his jaw. The man is a legitimate problem for every middleweight alive.

Sean Strickland. 31-7. Former middleweight champion. Won the belt by outpointing Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 in one of the biggest upsets in title fight history. Lost it to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297. Then beat Paulo Costa. The man's striking volume is relentless. He throws more punches per round than almost any middleweight in the division and he never stops coming forward.

The matchup is clear. If Chimaev can get the fight to the ground, Strickland is in serious trouble. Chimaev's top pressure and ground and pound is elite. He pins guys against the fence, drags them to the mat, and either pounds them out or hunts for submissions. Against Whittaker he got a face crank in the first round. Against du Plessis he controlled the entire fight from top position.

If Strickland can keep the fight standing, it gets interesting. His volume striking is designed to outpace opponents over five rounds. He's not a power puncher. He's a pressure fighter who throws so many strikes that by the third round his opponent is exhausted from blocking, countering, and being pushed backward for 15 straight minutes. Against Adesanya that approach was genius. Against Chimaev it might not matter because Chimaev can decide to wrestle at any point and there's not much Strickland can do about it.

The Pick

I'm picking Chimaev by submission in the second or third round.

Here's why. Strickland's best chance is keeping the fight on the feet for 25 minutes. That's five rounds of needing to stuff takedowns, manage distance, and throw volume while Chimaev is constantly threatening to change the venue from a kickboxing match to a wrestling match. Even when Chimaev doesn't get the takedown, the threat of it disrupts Strickland's rhythm. You can't throw in combination when you're worried about getting dumped on your head.

Chimaev's wrestling advantage is too big. His control time against du Plessis and Whittaker was obscene. Strickland has never faced a wrestler this strong at 185. And in a five round title fight, the wrestling threat compounds over time. By the championship rounds, Strickland's legs are going to be heavy from sprawling, his output is going to drop, and the takedowns are going to start landing cleaner.

That's when Chimaev finishes guys. Not in the first round when the adrenaline is pumping and the opponent is fresh. In the middle rounds when the wrestling has accumulated and the other guy's body starts giving up before his brain does. He face cranked Whittaker in the first round but that was because Whittaker's jaw was already damaged. Against a durable dog like Strickland, the submission is coming later. Round two or three, Chimaev gets him down, takes the back, and locks in a choke while Strickland is too gassed from sprawling to fight the hands.

Strickland is genuinely tough and he doesn't break mentally. But his body will break physically under five rounds of Chimaev's pressure. And when it does, Chimaev will be there waiting.

Chimaev by submission. And hopefully nobody gets shot before we get there lol.

Thanks for riding with CageLore. Stay locked in!

Frequently Asked Questions

When is UFC 328?

UFC 328 takes place Saturday, May 9, 2026 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The main event is Khamzat Chimaev defending the middleweight title against Sean Strickland.

What did Strickland say about bringing a gun?

Strickland said he would bring a gun to fight week, that he has a concealed carry permit, and that he'd use it if Chimaev and his team "tried anything." He also called Chimaev a "third world dog" and said the UFC is trying to keep them separated.

What was Chimaev's response?

Chimaev called Strickland a "clown" and said "he hasn't shot any chickens in the world, how is he going to shoot a human? If he wanted a war, he'd be dead already." He also posted a photo on X mocking Strickland.

Did Chael Sonnen comment on the threats?

Yes. Sonnen said on The Ariel Helwani Show that the gun comment "took some of the fun out of it" and that he wasn't sure Strickland was joking given his known concealed carry permit and weapons training.

What are Chimaev's and Strickland's records?

Chimaev is 15-0 and the current middleweight champion. Strickland is 31-7 and a former middleweight champion who won the belt by beating Israel Adesanya at UFC 293.

What else is on the UFC 328 card?

The card features Joaquin Buckley vs Sean Brady, Bobby Green vs Jeremy Stephens, and several other bouts. Full card details are available on the UFC website.