
Arman Tsarukyan has mocked Khamzat Chimaev on social media after the UFC champion invited him to train together ahead of his next title defence.
Chimaev is preparing to defend his UFC middleweight belt against former champion Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on 9 May.
The fight continues a heated rivalry between the two after some public exchanges on social media.
With less than two months remaining before the title fight, Chimaev recently invited Tsarukyan to join his training camp, and the lightweight contender responded by mocking ‘Borz’ after sharing a clip from Chimaev’s evening activities during his preparation.
Tsarukyan posted footage on his Instagram story showing Chimaev spending time playing PUBG: Battlegrounds with friends in the evening during the fight camp.
Laughing in the video, ‘Ahalkalakets’ joked about the invitation he had received from the champion.
“Khamzat says: ‘Come to my camp, it’ll be fun, very fun.’ Absolutely amazing,” Tsarukyan said while laughing.
In the same clip, Chimaev appears relaxed while gaming with friends and responds casually to the situation.
Arman Tsarukyan laughs about being invited to help Khamzat Chimaev in camp… only to find the team spending the evening playing PUBG.
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) March 16, 2026
Even during fight camp, Khamzat still makes time to game
(Via @ArmanUfc ) pic.twitter.com/cftGTrsMfu
“How else can we spend time in the evening?” he questioned, as the 29-year-old highlights the contrast between the camp invitation and the scene on screen.
Despite the playful jab from Tsarukyan, the clip does not necessarily reflect how seriously Chimaev is preparing for his upcoming title defence.
Recent footage from his camp shows the champion working intensely alongside top fighters, including UFC contender Khalil Rountree Jr. In one training clip, ‘Borz’ can be seen taking Rountree down and crashing him to the mat during a grappling exchange.
Rountree later described the experience of training with Chimaev during a YouTube video on JAXXON Podcast’s channel.
“It was painful. There were definitely moments where I would call them humbling because they make me question certain things that I even say about myself. Sometimes I think I’m in good shape, and then I face a workout like this and it makes me realize that there’s so much more to go. And so it’s eye-opening,” the 36-year-old American said.
More must-reads:
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!