Quick to clash: UFC fighter alleges Sean Strickland tried to start a fight 30 minutes after meeting

Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images

Quick to clash: UFC fighter alleges Sean Strickland tried to start a fight 30 minutes after meeting

Originally posted on HITC | By Kyle Dimond | Last updated May 8, 2026 5:26 PM ET

Drew Dober recently opened up about what it’s like to train with Sean Strickland.

Things between Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev boiled over during a fiery press conference on Thursday, adding another layer to their growing rivalry.

Chimaev and Strickland’s history goes back a few years, having trained together before their paths crossed again in the build-up to the middleweight title clash in Newark.

Speaking ahead of that bout, Dober recalled an earlier encounter with the former champion while discussing what makes his fighting style unique.

Dober recalls the time Strickland tried to fight three people at Xtreme Couture

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the UFC lightweight shared a story from their first meeting, saying that Strickland’s personality comes through just as much in person as it does in front of cameras.

Dober gave one example of the type of presence Strickland brings into a gym: “The one scenario, I was at Xtreme Couture, I mean, he tried to fight three people within 30 minutes of me meeting him,” Dober said.

“He tried to fight me, not in the same weight class. He tried to fight my coach, retired UFC fighter and he ended up just fighting some strange guy that just walked in. Ended up TKO’ing him in the gym.”

Strickland has been vocal about how he feels Chimaev conducts himself during training sessions. Meanwhile, former teammate Sam Alvey believes Strickland could use that edge to his advantage.

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

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