UFC middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev was once seen as one of the most electrifying fighters on the roster. Recently, his position in the division has suffered a setback—and it’s not just because of his performance in the cage. Now, ‘Borz’ is preparing for the biggest fight of his career: his first shot at UFC gold, scheduled next month against reigning middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis.

Yet despite the high stakes, the headlines surrounding him have focused more on controversy than competition. From allegedly messaging the girlfriends/wives of opponents to being accused of “bullying” less experienced fighters in the gym, Khamzat Chimaev’s image has taken a major blow. And some of the harshest words have come from a familiar voice—former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland. Once a training partner and admirer of Chimaev, ‘Tarzan’ now holds nothing back.

Sean Strickland exposes Khamzat Chimaev’s weakness before UFC 319

During a recent conversation with Laura Sanko on her YouTube channel, Sean Strickland spoke openly about a troubling trend of behavior he has observed taking place behind the scenes. Reflecting on their past training sessions, Sean Strickland pointed to Khamzat Chimaev’s lack of cardio as a glaring flaw, stating, “Chimaev can grapple, but he’s kind of like a weak man. From somebody who’s trained with him, like, he’s usually tough for like one round.”

Doubling down, Sean Strickland took a direct shot at ‘Borz’s ties to controversial Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov. “And then the moment, like, you shut him down, the little fking Chechen w*re comes out at him, and he starts like, ‘Where’s my—where’s my dictator daddy at?’” said the American.

Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev were once on friendly terms during their time training at Xtreme Couture in 2022, but that relationship has since deteriorated. What began as mutual respect has now devolved into open animosity. And for ‘Borz’s cardio issues, ‘Tarzan’ might be onto something. ‘Borz’ unleashes explosive power and aggressive flurries from the start—but he often loses steam just as quickly.

Khamzat Chimaev, despite his flawless UFC record, often finds himself burning out early, unable to sustain his intensity in the later rounds. Dricus Du Plessis stands poised to seize the advantage right there. Dricus Du Plessis is poised to capitalize on that opportunity. The reigning champion charges forward with an unyielding pace, taking hits without flinching—two qualities that could be game-changers in the looming title showdown.

Sean Strickland predicts Khamzat Chimaev vs Dricus Du Plessis outcome at UFC 319

As UFC 319 approaches, oddsmakers may be leaning toward Khamzat Chimaev—but Sean Strickland isn’t buying the hype. The former champion is backing Dricus Du Plessis to get the job done, crediting the South African’s unpredictable fight style and relentless gas tank—both of which ‘Tarzan’ says he’s felt firsthand. Du Plessis remains undefeated in the UFC and has already defended his middleweight title twice—once against Strickland and once against Israel Adesanya.

Now, he’s set to face ‘Borz’, who’s coming off a dominant win over Robert Whittaker via face crank and has recently reunited with Team Kadyrov ahead of the biggest fight of his career. But despite Khamzat Chimaev’s momentum, Sean Strickland is standing firmly in Du Plessis’ corner. Speaking to Helen Yee, he delivered a harsh but honest assessment of ‘Borz’:

“They can grapple. Someone like me, I’ve been training these f—— for years, I usually could counter-wrestle and grapple them. So, I just don’t know if f—— Dricus can be able to counter-wrestle him. But if he can, I think he wins, hands down. I sparred the f—— Chechen,” ‘Tarzan’ continued. “Hands down, I think Dricus wins. It’s just gonna come down to—are you gonna be able to stop that [takedown] and counter-wrestle him? You can. It’s not hard.”

Sean Strickland isn’t the only one challenging Khamzat Chimaev’s abilities. Former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has entered the arena with his insights, sparking curiosity about ‘Borz’s’ ability to endure the unyielding and adaptable challenge presented by Du Plessis. Will Dricus Du Plessis put an end to the ‘Borz’ hype train at UFC 318? We want to know your thoughts! Your voice is crucial to our mission! Raise your voice! Drop your thoughts in the comments section below.