The story between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev didn’t start on a fight poster. It began years ago in a training room in Las Vegas. At the time, ‘Borz’ was still competing at welterweight while Strickland was building his run at the 185 lbs division. Fast forward to 2026, and the dynamic has completely flipped. Chimaev now sits on the middleweight throne after defeating Dricus du Plessis. At the same time, Strickland, who famously beat Israel Adesanya for the belt in 2023, will attempt to reclaim the title at UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark.

That history has fueled intrigue around their upcoming clash. Some stories that have emerged have painted them as heated rivals even back then. But according to Strickland’s longtime coach Eric Nicksick, the reality was far less dramatic. Speaking recently with Ariel Helwani, who asked about their “infamous” training sessions, the Xtreme Couture head coach confirmed he witnessed most of them firsthand.

“For the most part. I mean, you know, I was, I was here for pretty much all of them,” Nicksick said. “They were, they were out here for a little over a month, a month and a half. If I remember correctly, it was a, you know, Khamzat and a team of guys and Darren Till, and I’m trying to think who else, and that’s when Sadibou Sy was coming into the gym. So, I mean, it was a great addition to the room, man. We learned a lot of great stuff from those guys, and it was a welcome addition to the team.

“But, you know, for me it was like, take this opportunity to learn as much as you can from Khamzat and some of his routes and some of the things that he does really well on the ground. You know, just be a student when he’s in here and listen and learn and kind of observe the way that he trains. I thought he was a great addition to the room and the team and made us all better while he was here.”

Interestingly, Nicksick also admitted he never expected the two fighters to eventually meet in a title fight. At that time, Chimaev was still campaigning at welterweight, so the possibility of a future clash didn’t really cross his mind. And when asked when things between the two fighters actually turned sour, the coach couldn’t point to a specific moment.

From what he saw in the gym, Sean Strickland and Chimaev “got along really well” and pushed each other in a competitive but respectful way. That makes the current rivalry even more fascinating.

In the years since those sessions, Strickland has repeatedly taken verbal shots at Chimaev, often crossing into personal territory by taking aim at his relationship with controversial Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

The American also recently posted on Facebook explaining why their fight isn’t part of the June 14 White House card, taking a controversial swipe at Khamzat Chimaev in the process and writing, “We’re not fighting at the White House. They don’t like terror-sts there.” And according to a man who has faced both of them inside the Octagon, ‘Tarzan’ has the ability to pull off another massive upset.

Dricus Du Plessis believes Sean Strickland has a “very good chance” to upset Khamzat Chimaev

Dricus du Plessis knows this matchup better than most. The former champion has shared the Octagon with both men, losing his belt to Khamzat Chimaev last August while also going five rounds twice with Sean Strickland. So when he was asked about the upcoming title fight at UFC 328, du Plessis offered a perspective that cuts against the current betting odds.

Right now, bookmakers have the Chechen fighter sitting around a -600 favorite, pretty close to the same advantage Israel Adesanya held before Strickland ripped the belt away from him. And that’s why ‘Stillknocks’ believes those numbers don’t tell the whole story.

“I faced Strickland. Strickland, in the striking, definitely beats Khamzat, for sure. Khamzat’s a problem to deal with when he has you on your back,” he told SA Boxing Talk. “We’ve seen that many times. But Strickland, what he does brilliantly—I took Strickland down, I think, seven times. The way he gets up—to hold him down is incredibly hard. At Xtreme Couture, where they train, they specialize in getting to their feet. And Strickland’s a lot stronger than people might think. I think he has a very good chance in that fight.”

Du Plessis then explained that Strickland’s style often takes opponents time to understand. From the outside, it may look awkward and not particularly threatening, but once you’re in the cage with him, the rhythm and pressure become much harder to deal with. According to the former champion, fighters usually spend at least a round trying to figure Strickland out before they can properly adjust.

In other words, the buildup to UFC 328 carries layers that go far beyond rankings or betting lines. What started as friendly rounds in the Xtreme Couture gym has evolved into one of the division’s most emotionally charged matchups. If the champion dominates on the mat, the narrative ends quickly. But if Sean Strickland forces a prolonged striking battle, the upset talk that Dricus du Plessis hinted at may suddenly feel far less far-fetched.