Former UFC Middleweight Title holder Sean Strickland has branded Khamzat Chimaev ‘mentally weak’ ahead of his 185-pound title challenge at UFC 319.
Chimaev takes on Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight belt on August 16 at UFC 319, with Strickland questioning the mental toughness and resilience of ‘Borz’ ahead of the contest.
Sean Strickland Brands Khamzat Chimaev ‘Mentally Weak’
Khamzat Chimaev’s next fight is undoubtedly the biggest of his career. ‘Borz’ takes on Dricus du Plessis for the UFC Middleweight Title at UFC 319 on August 16 in what is his first shot at UFC gold.
As he embarks on his biggest fight to date, a lot of MMA fans and other respected figures have questioned some of Chimaev’s attributes.
Despite boasting an undefeated record of 14-0, the 31-year-old has come under fire with people questioning his fitness, stamina and fighting style if the bout goes past the first two rounds.
Others have criticised his heart and mental toughness, which is what former UFC Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland has spoken out on in a recent interview with Red Corner MMA.
Speaking ahead of UFC 319 where du Plessis vs Chimaev headlines for the 185-pound belt, Strickland has been highly critical of Chimaev’s mindset, labelling him ‘mentally weak’.
‘Tarzan’ has spent some time in recent years training alongside ‘Borz’, and has recalled a few occasions where he felt Chimaev showed mental weakness and fragility.
As well as labelling the next UFC Middleweight Title challenger as ‘mentally weak’, Strickland also commented on the dislike he has for the Russian-Emirati MMA phenom:
“Chimaev is just a f***ng c**t. I was there when he retired from COVID. I was training with him. There’s a video of me – I was like, ‘Oh, you’re so good, you’re better than everybody,’ like I’m being sarcastic.
“You can pick high-level UFC fighters, but you’re picking 1-1 because you think he’s the same height as your opponent. No dude, you’re picking him because you’re a b***h, dude. Mentally, he’s just a weak man,” said Strickland as he pulled absolutely no punches.
Khamzat Chimaev Responds To Sean Strickland ‘Mentally Weak’ Claims
Khamzat Chimaev’s wife may be in attendance at UFC 319 as her husband challenged Dricus du Plessis for the UFC Middleweight Title on August 16 in Chicago, Illinois.
Whether she is or not remains to be seen, but one thing you can guarantee is that ‘Borz’ will bring the heat inside the octagon. Despite being the less experienced fighter and relatively unproven in the later rounds, it is Chimaev who is the favourite going into the contest.
Chimaev is priced as short as 1/2 with some UFC betting sites, which may come as a surprise to some given the fact he is up against the bonafide champion who has reigned for over 18 months.
Should he get through the du Plessis fight unscathed at UFC 319, Chimaev has revealed that he would be open to a fight with former champion Sean Strickland next.
This comes after Chimaev responded to Strickland in a recent interview with Full Send MMA, biting back at Strickland’s claims that the 31-year-old is ‘mentally weak’ and potentially fragile between the ears.
The Russian-Emirati didn’t specifically say whether or not it’ll be in the UFC octagon, but did say that he’s happy to settle any dispute with ‘Tarzan’ in person now that he’s back on US soil.
“When I was there, he never said anything. When I left Vegas and they stopped my visa, he started to talk. Now I’m back, I’m in LA. If you have something personal, just come – I’m here whenever you want,” Chimaev said with a smirk on his face.
Before he thinks about a potential fight with Sean Strickland, Khamzat Chimaev must first get through his UFC 319 fight against Dricus du Plessis. If he does and wins the UFC Middleweight Title, then he can worry about Strickland.
Khamzat Chimaev calls out Sean Strickland to settle any dispute in person, now that he’s back in the U.S.
🇺🇸"When I was there, he never said anything. When I left Vegas and they stopped my visa, he started to talk. Now I’m back, I’m in LA. If you have something personal, just… pic.twitter.com/tQxVFpcF1F
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) August 7, 2025
