Khamzat Chimaev claims he is "levels above" Sean Strickland after training with him ahead of Israel Adesanya title fight

Khamzat Chimaev could be one fight away from facing Sean Strickland for the UFC middleweight title. At UFC 294 later today, 'Borz' faces former welterweight kingpin Kamaru Usman in a middleweight fight that will in all possibility award the winner a crack at the 185-pound gold.

While talk of fighting Sean Strickland is slightly premature – the unbeaten Chechen-born fighter must still overcome a game and an all-time great opponent in Usman – it has not stopped Chimaev from offering his thoughts on a potential title bout with 'Tarzan'. It was during the UFC 294 pre-fight press conference that Chimaev spoke about it.

Khamzat Chimaev trained with Sean Strickland ahead of the American's championship bout with Israel Adesanya. The sparring sessions between the two have convinced Chimaev that there is a sizable gulf in skill between them and that he would triumph over him in the octagon:

"We've done our work in the gym together and if they offer him to me, if I can fight him for the belt, that's what I'll do. I think that if you compare us on a skill-level wise, I'm levels above him. I'm in a whole different stratosphere from him. So he's not a threat to me."

While Khamzat Chimaev trained with Sean Strickland, Kamaru Usman actually owns a win over 'Tarzan' from their welterweight days. So, both men have history with Strickland, although Usman's bout with him played out in the public eye. Meanwhile, Chimaev's sparring session with Strickland went unseen.

Only The Schmo witnessed it, and he says Chimaev was dominant over Strickland, particularly in the grappling department.

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When Khamzat Chimaev tried to fight Conor McGregor

Khamzat Chimaev has never shied away from using social media as a means to further his career. Not long ago, he sought a bout with Conor McGregor, challenging the Irishman to a welterweight clash in what many believe would have been an extremely lopsided bout.

However, the matchup never came to pass, despite the brief back-and-forth between both men. McGregor once described Chimaev's scarred lip as a "rat lip" in an X post. This prompted a response from 'Borz', who labeled the Irishman a "chicken."