Khamzat Chimaev says he ‘loves’ Sean Strickland, actually: ‘UFC pay good for him’

Khamzat Chimaev is not on the verge of raging out on Sean Strickland during UFC 328 fight week. On the contrary, Khamzat says he’s got a deep appreciation for what Sean has done to sell their fight.

The reigning UFC middleweight champion shared that surprising outlook during a quick media scrum on Tuesday.

“I love him,” Chimaev said of Strickland with a smile. “They pay good for him, so that’s the important thing. I never made that much money before. That’s good.”

Much has been made of Strickland’s

comments that he’d wait in the hotel lobby for Chimaev and shoot anyone that approached him the wrong way. There’s been talk of cancelling faceoffs due to the possibility of violence. “Borz” shrugged off that talk.

“Let him come,” he said. “I think they took him to some other hotel. I don’t know. I tried to find the guy, and that’s not so much personal. The guy just talks too much … I don’t think it’s possible because they don’t let me see this guy. So, I don’t know where he is. I’ve been here for three days in the lobby, and the guy said he’s gonna shoot me. So let’s go. Do that. I will be happy to die.”

“[The increased security] is not for me. It’s for his safety.”

Khamzat may like the money that comes from the attention generated by Strickland’s antics, but that doesn’t mean he’ll kiss and make up following their main event fight at Newark’s Prudential Center on Saturday night.

“What’s the point if I shake hands or not?” he asked. “After the fight, I beat him up, maybe never see him again. Other 15 guys I’ve already beat, I almost didn’t see them again. I don’t care about his life, I’m doing my life.”

Chimaev made it clear he’d be done with Strickland the moment the final bell rang, and perhaps done with middleweight in general. Asked if this would be his last fight at 185 pounds, the Chechen fighter nodded.

“I hope so,” he said. “I like to eat pizza.”