Joe Pyfer isn’t dismissing Khamzat Chimaev’s dominance, but he isn’t sold on the unbeaten run continuing either. Coming off a statement win over Israel Adesanya at UFC Seattle, where he stopped the former champion in Round 2, Pyfer has some momentum behind his words. And when he looks at the upcoming title fight between Sean Strickland and Chimaev at UFC 328, he sees a fight that could flip if it stretches past the opening danger.

Chimaev is undefeated and has run through most opponents with his wrestling-heavy style. But Strickland is coming off a strong rebound of his own, stopping Anthony Hernandez in February and picking up a $100,000 bonus. Add in the history between the two from their past gym sessions at Xtreme Couture, and the stylistic clash starts to feel less predictable.

“I’m excited to see it. I think these guys got true beef,” Joe Pyfer told Full Mount MMA. “I think Sean Strickland is a good fighter. I think Khamzat is an excellent wrestler and a good fighter. He’s got aura about him. He’s fun to watch. Yeah, I think I’m really excited for that. I do have Sean Strickland in my heart winning. So I don’t know if he’ll win because you know Khamzat is a different level of wrestling.

“But I think Sean can kind of survive the storm if he doesn’t get submitted in the first round, obviously. I think he can win that fight. So I think he’s got better wrestling than DDP does. But yeah, I think it’s going to be a really good fight, they’re two of the best for a reason. So yeah, I’m excited for that. I think it’s a good fight.”

That first round is the key. ‘Borz’s success often comes from overwhelming opponents quickly, chaining takedowns and submissions before they can settle. But Sean Strickland’s style is built around forward pressure, elite defense, and durability. In his own upset win against Israel Adesanya, he absorbed almost nothing clean while walking forward for five rounds. That kind of display is rare.

The longer the fight goes, the more it favors Strickland. His pace doesn’t drop, and his jab-heavy approach forces opponents into uncomfortable exchanges. Chimaev, on the other hand, has had moments where his output slows after explosive starts. That’s the trade-off with his style.

If Chimaev gets the early finish, it follows the script. If Strickland drags him into deeper waters, the conversation changes completely. And according to Eric Nicksick, the man who has been with both fighters inside the training room, there’s a lot of backstory coming into this fight.

Eric Nicksick reveals Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland’s training history

Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev have already shared rounds, hard ones, inside Xtreme Couture. Back in 2022, when Chimaev visited the gym with Darren Till, the two middleweights didn’t just spar; they pushed each other to a level where the entire room stopped to watch. That kind of history doesn’t show up on records, but it matters when both fighters step into a five-round title fight.

“There’s a backstory, Sean and Khamzat being training partners while Khamzat was in the gym, the back and forth and all that stuff,” Eric Nicksick told Action Network. “But stylistically, Sean can give Khamzat a tough fight.”

Nicksick explained that the Chechen fighter’s time in the gym had a clear impact, saying, “Khamzat made us better” through his work ethic and approach, even while dealing with lingering COVID effects. He added that they picked up specific habits from his grappling, to the point where they created cues in training, using phrases like “don’t forget the Khamzat here” to prepare for those situations.

The Xtreme Couture head coach then described their sparring as intense, noting there were “epic back and forth” rounds where the entire gym stopped to watch them go at it. However, he also made it clear that training only tells part of the story, adding that while they know what happened in the room, “you can never really tell what happens when the lights come on.”

So, both fighters have already tested each other in the gym. But as Eric Nicksick pointed out, sparring doesn’t decide fights. It gives clues, not answers.

This now comes down to execution under pressure. Can Khamzat Chimaev impose his usual pace and get the fight where he wants it early? Or can Sean Strickland stay composed, extend the fight, and force Borz into a space where he’s less comfortable?