Khamzat Chimaev has put a bounty on himself in training ahead of UFC 328 according to Daniel Cormier

Khamzat Chimaev is paying any of his teammates who are able to submit him in training ahead of UFC 328.

‘Borz’ won the UFC middleweight title last August when he dethroned Dricus Du Plessis for the title in a dominant five round display.

And it seemed inevitable that Khamzat Chimaev would make his first title defense against Nassourdine Imavov until news broke this past Thursday.

UFC boss Dana White announced that Chimaev will defend his 185lb title against Sean Strickland in the UFC 328 main event.

Chimaev is training ‘so hard’ according to Daniel Cormier

According to UFC legend and commentator Daniel Cormier, the Chechen champion is on the way to getting into the best shape of his career, as he is training relentlessly for May 9.

“I am hearing stories out of the Chimaev camp that Chimaev is training so hard and putting it on guys, elite level guys, like nothing you’ve ever seen before,” Cormier claimed in a video on his YouTube channel.

‘Borz’ has been training in Las Vegas, and he has been training with several light heavyweights, including Khalil Rountree Jr.

“I have heard Khamzat Chimaev wants people to go so hard with him, to try and beat him and submit him, he’s paying them, he doesn’t care. I’ve got some guys at my gym that know people there that are like, if someone can submit him, there’s money, Khamzat is putting a bounty on himself.”

In his matchup against the former middleweight champion, Chimaev is expected to have a huge wrestling and grappling advantage, with the wide consensus being that Strickland’s only chance is by keeping the fight on the feet.