Sean Strickland responds to Khamzat Chimaev’s “Unfinished business” declaration

Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has Khamzat Chimaev in his sights if he reclaims the title.

Strickland is holding out for another middleweight title shot after defeating former title challenger Paulo Costa at UFC 302. He defeated Costa unanimously before declaring that he intended to hold out for a title shot instead of facing another top contender.

One of the middleweight contenders in the mix for a big-name fight is Chimaev, who hasn’t fought since a win over Kamaru Usman at UFC 294. He’s expected to return later this year against a to-be-determined opponent.

Chimaev and Strickland briefly trained together earlier in their careers. Recently, Chimaev has been asked about his time sparring with Strickland, and the former claims there’s “unfinished business” between them in the Octagon.

It didn’t take long for the often-vocal Strickland to respond.

Sean Strickland to Khamzat Chimaev: “He can get the smoke”

In a recent Instagram comment, Strickland responded to Chimaev’s remarks.

“I made [Chimaev] retire after covid…” Strickland said. “I’m fighting for the belt then he can get the smoke…”

Strickland is looking to get back to the middleweight title after a loss to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297. Before that, he pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history when he defeated Israel Adesanya in September.

During his UFC career, Strickland has defeated the likes of Abus Magomedov, Jack Hermansson, and Uriah Hall. He’s become a fan favorite in recent years, a status that ramped up after his title win last year.

Chimaev, unbeaten in his professional MMA career, has lacked activity in recent years due to various health issues. A food-borne illness forced him to withdraw from a scheduled main event fight with Robert Whittaker last month.

Strickland remains steadfast in waiting for the title shot, but after reclaiming the belt, he’s ready to face his former sparring partner.