Sean Strickland gets cold warning from Khamzat Chimaev’s teammate against escalating feud ahead of UFC 328

The UFC will have an excruciatingly difficult time keeping Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev apart in the days before UFC 328.

One of the biggest fights of the year features UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev defending his belt for the first time against former titleholder Sean Strickland at UFC 328 next month. A few years removed from the two brash personalities training together at Xtreme Couture, tensions are extremely high ahead of their highly anticipated showdown.

Chimaev and Strickland have traded barbs for months leading up to UFC 328. Strickland, known for his at times controversial comments on his opponents, has repeatedly referred to Chimaev as a ‘terrorist’, intensifying their feud.

Things took a new turn in recent days when Strickland issued a public street fight challenge to Chimaev ahead of UFC 328. After Chimaev had apparently declined Strickland’s offer, one of the middleweight champ’s top teammates shared a chilling reason as to why.

Arman Tsarukyan cautions Sean Strickland after ‘street fight’ challenge to Khamzat Chimaev

In a recent interview with Adam Zubayraev, Tsarukyan responded to Strickland’s latest ‘street fight’ threats.

“With people like Strickland, issues aren’t settled on the streets,” Tsarukyan said of Strickland.

“If they wanted to settle it on the streets, it would have been done a long time ago. There’s just a task at hand from a sporting perspective because with people like Strickland, issues aren’t settled on the streets.

“If he were somewhere in Russia, understood our ways and our customs, he wouldn’t be acting like this.” (h/t SportsKeeda)

Tsarukyan is expected to be a key presence in Chimaev’s final preparations for UFC 328, potentially serving as his cornerman for the Strickland fight. UFC CEO Dana White has repeatedly emphasized the promotion’s crowded security presence to keep Strickland and Chimaev apart in Newark, including the possibility of not holding a ceremonial weigh-in faceoff.

What is your prediction for Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland? Let us know in the comments!