Khamzat Chimaev’s training camps are known for their brutal intensity, but his current prep for Sean Strickland in the lead-up to UFC 328 on May 9th features a surprising new face: an NFL rookie quarterback.

Jaxson Dart, the quarterback for the New York Giants, was seen at the Santo Studio gym in Newport Beach, California, looking on as Chimaev sparred with his training partners alongside regulars like Arman Tsarukyan, Luke Rockhold, and Khalil Rountree Jr. In the video circulating online, Dart and a group of friends can be seen watching Chimaev spar with Pat Downey, with the No. 6 QB visibly engaged as the middleweight champion took his sparring partner down with ease.

The former Ole Miss standout, who was drafted 25th overall in the first round of the 2025 draft by the Giants, has had a productive season as a rookie. Before the NFL heads into the next season, the rising star likely hopes to gain a competitive physical and mental edge by training with the UFC middleweight champion, known for his superior wrestling skills.

Meanwhile, for ‘Borz’, this is an important fight coming up. Gearing up for his first fight in over eight months, Chimaev will hope to continue his win streak with his first successful title defense against Sean Strickland in May.

Considering that Chimaev has enlisted the help of fighters like Tsarukyan, Downey, Rockhold, and Rountree Jr. for his camp ahead of the Strickland fight, it appears his preparation is once again wrestling-heavy. However, amid all this, Dart joining Chimaev’s camp adds a good bit of intrigue. After all, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for October 2025 is not your average run-of-the-mill NFL player.

Khamzat Chimaev is well-known for undergoing tough training camps with top wrestlers like Abdulrashid Sadulaev and others. So, for Dart as a rookie star ahead of his second NFL season, it might be a good opportunity to learn how elite UFC stars undergo preparations before important fights.

That said, while Chimaev’s upcoming bout is quite important, a UFC legend has revealed intriguing details from the UFC middleweight champion’s training camp.

Daniel Cormier says Khamzat Chimaev is paying people to beat him up in camp

The stories of Khamzat Chimaev’s training preparations have always been intriguing. He still trains twice a day, even while fasting for Ramadan. Let us not forget that he attempted to train while suffering from COVID, leading to his hospitalization in critical condition. This time around, too, he isn’t taking it easy. At least that’s what UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier has been hearing.

“I have heard stories out of the Chimaev camp that Chimaev is training so hard and putting it on guys, elite-level guys, like nothing you’ve ever seen before,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “I have heard Khamzat Chimaev wants people to go so hard with him to try to beat him and submit him; he’s paying them. He doesn’t care. I’ve got some guys at my gym that know people there that are like, ‘This dude, if somebody can submit him, there’s, like, money.’

“The Saints got in trouble for Bountygate. Khamzat’s putting a bounty on himself to make guys give him all that they have. It’s different.”

For Chimaev, this is nothing new. Not too long ago, the UFC middleweight champion gave out an open challenge during a presser to anyone who could submit him. As expected, nobody collected.

Chimaev enters his first title defense with a 9-0 UFC record, having taken the middleweight title from Dricus du Plessis with a dominant 50-44 decision at UFC 319. Strickland, who held the title before du Plessis, presents arguably the stiffest stylistic test of Chimaev’s career to date. As such, the Chechen would like to leave nothing to chance in his preparation, as he should.