A key voice from Khamzat Chimaev’s camp has called for restraint ahead of the middleweight title fight against Sean Strickland, as tensions continue to escalate before UFC 328.
Speaking about the ongoing exchanges, Chimaev’s training partner made it clear he has no interest in extending the rivalry beyond the cage. He stressed a preference to avoid confrontation in public settings and indicated that unnecessary interactions could lead to unpredictable outcomes.
The warning comes amid a buildup that has already included threats, personal insults, and increased security measures from the UFC.
Brendan Allen, who has joined Chimaev’s camp in preparation for the fight, claimed that his focus remains on training and preparation rather than engaging in verbal exchanges. In a recent interview with Submission Radio, he said:
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“Let a sleeping dog lie. I don’t want to go out of my body for nothing. I don’t want to get into no issues. I don’t want nobody talking sh*t to me when I go out. Just let me be. I don’t talk sh*t about nobody. If you ask me a question, I’m going to answer it. It’s my opinion. I have the right to it, just as everyone else has their opinion about me, and they have their right to it. Just let me be. I just want to be left alone because if not, then I don’t know where it’s going to go, and I don’t want it to go that way.”
He added:
“I don’t want to endanger any other people that could be around. I don’t want to put my kids in that situation. I don’t want to put my wife in that situation. It’s just best for me and who I am as a person to just be left alone. Just let me be. I’m going to shut my mouth. You shut your mouth about me, at least, or do it on the internet, and when you see me in person, just shut up, because I’m going to do the same thing. Talk is talk. Sean’s that kind of guy. If it was a press conference I would kill him with words.”
Check out Brendan Allen’s comments below (19:50):
Brendan Allen expects Khamzat Chimaev to overwhelm Sean Strickland at UFC 328
Brendan Allen believes Khamzat Chimaev will present a level of skill and control that could prove difficult for Sean Strickland to handle at UFC 328.
Allen has been part of Chimaev’s training camp ahead of the title defense in Newark and pointed to the champion’s development in both skill and mindset. He suggested that Chimaev has matured in his approach, combining experience with a more measured tactical understanding.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Allen said:
“I think Khamzat is too skilled. Sean’s kind of a one-trick pony, kind of lazy, doesn’t really possess a crazy amount of skill. He’s just super awkward when you’re in there with him, and if you never experienced that, then it’s a shock… But I think Khamzat’s too skilled. I think he’s going to be too skilled. Now he’s older, he’s smarter, he’s wiser with his mentality, with his emotions, and his skill level. I think he’s going to be too much for Sean, and I think how he approaches the fight is going to shock a lot of people.”
Edited by Abhishek Nambiar
