Warning: Videos contain coarse language
The UFC 328 press conference featuring Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland on Thursday unfolded exactly as most would've predicted.
During the faceoff at the end of Thursday's event, the pair needed to be separated after UFC middleweight champion Chimaev kicked Strickland.
THIS WAS INEVITABLE 👀@KChimaev vs @SStricklandMMA
— UFC (@ufc) May 7, 2026
[ #UFC328 | MAY 9 | 9pmET | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/Rm4OSEWSa7
Tempers appeared bound to boil over in New Jersey as Chimaev and Strickland have created a tense rivalry ahead of Saturday's blockbuster fight. With tensions high, one reporter even asked UFC CEO Dana White earlier in the presser whether he planned to let the two fighters face off at the end.
"Absolutely," White responded.
White also ranked the Chimaev-Strickland rivalry among the "top three" in UFC history.
“According to my therapist, I’m a sociopath. Why would I not have a face off?” — Dana White
— Uncrowned (@uncrownedcombat) May 7, 2026
Dana also says this is a top 3 most heated rivalry in UFC history #UFC328 pic.twitter.com/YFsA5g07ZC
The promotion came in prepared for the press conference, notably loading up on security and seating Chimaev and Strickland farther apart.
Well that didn’t take long 😅
— Uncrowned (@uncrownedcombat) May 7, 2026
Khamzat and Strickland started going at each other before Dana White could even open up the presser #UFC328 pic.twitter.com/h1R1YrbjU4
