Tensions erupted at the UFC 328 press conference on Thursday when middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev kicked challenger Sean Strickland in the shin during their first faceoff.
The incident occurred moments after UFC CEO Dana White positioned himself between the fighters and instructed them to remain calm.
The pair had traded vulgar insults for roughly 30 minutes earlier in the event. As they stared each other down, Strickland shouted, “You ain’t going to do s–t.” Chimaev responded by launching a quick kick, prompting immediate chaos.
Security personnel and Newark police officers rushed in to separate the fighters, with Strickland straining against restraints while yelling back at his opponent.
No injury was reported to Strickland, and officials confirmed the title fight remains scheduled for Saturday at the Prudential Center. Afterward, Strickland posted on social media.
The longstanding animosity stems from a brief training stint together in 2022. White later called the rivalry one of the top three in UFC history.
Heightened security, including armed officers and metal detectors at the fighter hotel in Morristown, New Jersey, had already been implemented for the week due to prior threats between the camps.
