Sean Strickland says Khamzat Chimaev doesn’t deserve title shot, Chimaev responds

Sean Strickland says Khamzat Chimaev doesn’t deserve title shot, Chimaev responds

Khamzat Chimaev earned a middleweight title shot with his UFC 294 decision win over former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.  Following the fight, middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland did an interview and said Chimaev doesn’t deserve a title shot.  

“The only thing I like about Chimaev is that he sells fights,” Strickland said on UFC Fight Pass. “For some reason, people f**king like him or don’t like him. I don’t know. To me, he’s a f**king paycheck. He sells a lot of fights. People pay to watch, but he f**king hasn’t earned it.

“He hasn’t f**king deserved it, but here we are. Give it to him. He sells a lot of fights. I’ll go fight the f**king man for five rounds. But no, he’s not earned it. He doesn’t f**king deserve it. Getting a decision with a welterweight off the couch is not f**king earning it.”

Well, it looks like @SStricklandMMA is ready for a matchup with Khamzat! #UFC294

Didn’t hold back and we wouldn’t expect him to. #ExtraRounds from the @PBR Teams Championship. pic.twitter.com/uuQPRVkOzD

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) October 22, 2023

Chimaev responded to Strickland’s comments via Twitter on Monday.

@SStricklandMMA you are next don’t worry you know how fast I can finish you,’ Chimaev wrote.  

@SStricklandMMA you are next don’t worry you know haw fast I can finish you 🤝🤣🦾

— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) October 23, 2023

The war of words between the two has heated up even before UFC 294.  During the UFC 294 Media Day, Chimaev said that he’s ‘levels above Strickland.’

“I’ve taken him down. I’ve held him down. I’ve choked him. I’ve punched him. I’ve done all those things, so I don’t see something special about him,” Chimaev said during the UFC 294 Media Day.

“He’s a fighter’s fighter. He’s a good fighter. If you look at him, he’s like an American cowboy like from the movies. That’s the kind of guy he is, but we’ve done our work in the gym together. If they offer him to me, if I can fight him for the belt, that’s what I’ll do, make the money, get the belt. I have nothing against him. I think that if you compare us on a skill level-wise, I’m levels above him. I’m on a whole different stratosphere than him, so he’s not a threat to me. He’s a good guy. He’s a good fighter, and if I can I’m ready to fight anybody. I’m ready to fight anyone, so if there’s a belt there I’ll fight him no problem, even Strickland.”