Sean Strickland launched a scathing attack on Khamzat Chimaev during UFC 312 media day, accusing him of fleeing Chechnya to escape Ramzan Kadyrov. Strickland, known for his unfiltered remarks, pulled no punches in his verbal assault.
'Tarzan' claimed Chimaev initially fled Chechnya with his family to escape oppression but later returned when Kadyrov showered him with gifts. Strickland said:
“He goes back to Chechnya and he goes back to Chechnya because somebody wants to buy him a G-Wagon and he’s like, ‘Oh yeah! I’ll be that wh*re. I’ll f**king do it. I’ll bend the knee for you, man. I like f**king G-Wagons!’ And then what happens? The leash gets way too tight. The leash gets way too tight, and you know what? I think the U.S. government looks at him like a terrorist now."
Chimaev has maintained a relationship with Kadyrov, the controversial leader of Chechnya, who faces U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses. Reports suggest Chimaev moved to Abu Dhabi due to visa complications, though Strickland insists he is evading political consequences.
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Strickland also criticized Chimaev’s involvement in a cryptocurrency project, labeling it a scam:
“Now he’s hiding out... And now what does he do? He has a Bitcoin f**king scam and he scams all of his fans... So yeah, Chimaev, you can fight. You can fight. You’ve got a beard. But let history record it as you sir, are a whore. You fled a country, you went back, and you got buddy-buddy with a dictator and you fled again. It doesn’t matter how good of a fighter you are, you are and will always be a f**king whore.”
Check out Sean Strickland's comments below:
Sean Strickland weighs in on having Alex Pereira in his corner for UFC 312
Sean Strickland is thrilled to have Alex Pereira in his corner for UFC 312, where he aims to reclaim the middleweight title against Dricus du Plessis. Speaking on the Spinnin Backfist MMA Show, Strickland humorously described Pereira’s intense presence between rounds:
''He [Pereira] don't speak English, he just looks at you angry, he just looks at you real f**king angry. Alright 'Poatan', relax dude, I'm fighting, you're not. But he's just a good dude. I just like him, he's out that way, he's just a good dude.''
Strickland and Pereira have grown close since their UFC 276 fight, where 'Poatan' knocked him out in the first round. Their friendship now extends to training together. Interestingly, Strickland revealed that Pereira harbors a strong dislike for du Plessis, adding:
“I think Alex is an angry motherf**ker. Like Alex is angry and for some reason dude he hates Dricus. Like I don’t know what you did to him but he f**king hates you dude so it’s like the way he looks at Dricus sometimes I’m like, ‘Dude, I’m fighting him dawg, like it’s me dude.'"
Check out Sean Strickland's comments below: