Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland’s coach shared unusual UFC 328 moment

Originally posted on HITC | By Kyle Dimond | Last updated May 13, 2026 10:20 AM ET

Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland exchange detailed by Eric Nicksick

Sean Strickland’s coach has opened up about what was said between him and Khamzat Chimaev during UFC 328.

Before the fight, Strickland built up a lot of tension with Chimaev, but that seemed to fade once they were actually in the Octagon. He later admitted that some of the bad blood had been exaggerated.

Even though some feel that Chimaev lost a bit of his edge based on how he handled the defeat, he still seemed to be enjoying himself, even when things didn’t go his way.

The defending champion took time to talk to his opponent’s corner during the main event, and coach Eric Nicksick later revealed what was said during those exchanges.

Eric Nicksick had friendly exchange with Khamzat Chimaev during the title fight

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

During fight week, Eric Nicksick had a friendly encounter with Khamzat Chimaev ahead of the weekend’s middleweight title clash.

Sean Strickland’s head coach, who has always kept a positive rapport with ‘Borz’, tends to stay out of the rivalries his fighter gets into.

Nicksick recently mentioned that things stayed light-hearted between him and Chimaev, even with so much at stake, after the undefeated champion paused during the main event to chat.

“I was telling him he ain’t no boogeyman,” he said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “I was like, ‘You’re no boogeyman’ and he’s like, ‘I love you coach!’ He said something else and we’re going back and forth and just spit out a bunch of blood and looked over at me and I was like, ‘You’re a sicko, bro. I love you man’.”

Nicksick also plans to reach out to Chimaev just to check in, given the friendship they’ve built over time.

Given that Chimaev has been vocal about wanting another shot at Strickland despite earlier talk of leaving the division, it looks likely that their teams will face off again before long.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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