*This content was translated by AI.
The vitriol and the monster finally meet on a single tree bridge. UFC middleweight champion Hamzat Chimaev (31, UAE/Russia) and former champion Sean Strickland (35, USA) will play the title match with hatred toward each other.
UFC confirmed and announced the middleweight title match between Chimaev and Strickland as the main event of UFC 328 at the Prudential Center in New Jersey on May 9 (Korea Standard Time). This showdown is expected to be an emotional mud fight that is unprecedented in the history of martial arts beyond a simple title defense battle.
The relationship between the two players has long been catastrophic. They were once colleagues who sweated as training partners, but now they are bitter rivals who deny each other's existence. Recently, the U.S. media "Sports Illustrated" detailed that the conflict between the two players has exceeded the level of danger.
The trigger for the conflict was Strickland's outspokenness. Strickland criticized Chimaev, publicly condemning his political background and his friendship with the head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov. Strickland slammed the move outside the Octagon, saying, "Chimaev is a puppet of a dictator."
Chimaev responded with cruel revenge that touched Strickland's most painful trauma.
Chimaev mocked Strickland by posting a photo of his late father on his personal social networking service (SNS). He said, "Why do you always cry like a child. He left a provocative phrase, "Didn't your father give you love or did he give you too much love?" This is aimed squarely at Strickland's dark past, when he was severely abused by his father as a child. Strickland is known to have been traumatized enough to cry over his family's story at past press conferences.
Chimaev (15 wins and no losses), who will play his first defense match as a champion in a cutthroat atmosphere, is intent on blocking Strickland with overwhelming force. Chimaev has already been undefeated by catching the best players of the time, including Driquis Du Plessy, Robert Whitaker and Kamaru Usman.
On the other hand, Strickland (30 wins and 7 losses), ranked third as a challenger, seeks revenge while retaking the title. Strickland, who has a reputation for strong pressure and physical strength, is determined to humiliate Chimaev in his first career defeat. The biggest point to watch this competition is how Strickland's anger toward Chimaev, who insulted his family, will be unleashed in the octagon.
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*This content was translated by AI.
