Sean Strickland vs. Khamzat Chimaev: The Epic Heaviest Handshake in UFC 328!

Sean Strickland got his wish after a big main event win over Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston last month. At UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark, New Jersey, Strickland will attempt to reclaim middleweight gold when he challenges the champion Khamzat Chimaev. The matchup slowly became a possibility after the first time Strickland and Chimaev met in the training room at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.

Never shy to speak his mind, Strickland has launched verbal attacks at the now-champion at any chance he gets, while "Borz" has done his dirty work in the Octagon. Speaking Monday on "The Ariel Helwani Show," Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick revealed that the top middleweights sparred for roughly a month in 2021. Ultimately, he never saw the fight coming to fruition, as Chimaev was in the welterweight division back then.

But from all indications, the highly acclaimed trainer can't pinpoint where the fighters' relationship broke down. "Honestly, I thought they got along really well," Nicksick told Uncrowned. "I thought they pushed each other really well.

I felt like it was more of a competitive environment than anything, so where it kind of took a turn, I honestly couldn't tell you. " Strickland, 35, has never known a line he's afraid to cross. His issues with Chimaev, while occasionally centered on Chimaev's wrestle-heavy style, often take a personal turn.