NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – In the world of combat sports, there's a familiar script: when a contender climbs the mountain and finally captures the title, the dynamic shifts. Suddenly, you're no longer the one chasing—you're the one being chased. But Khamzat Chimaev? He's never been one for scripts.
Despite now wearing the UFC middleweight championship belt around his waist, Chimaev (15-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) is entering his first title defense at UFC 328 with the same relentless, predator's mindset that carried him to the top. And as he prepares to face former champion Sean Strickland, "Borz" isn't about to start playing defense.
"Still the hunter," Chimaev said during a media scrum at JAXXON House. "I don't go after the belt. If I was going after the belt, I would finish my career. I already have the belt. I go for the money."
For Chimaev, the championship is simply a byproduct of an undefeated run—a shiny object that carries no extra weight, no added pressure. In an era where fighters often crumble under the burden of defending gold, Chimaev views the belt as nothing more than a distraction if he lets it be.
"No, I don't care about my belt," Chimaev said flatly. "I don't need to be the champ in the gym. I have to be a normal guy, working every day."
That blue-collar mentality is exactly what made him a champion in the first place. And it's what he'll lean on when he steps into the Octagon at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., to settle what has become one of the most personal rivalries in the division.
The tension between Chimaev and Strickland dates back years, when the two once shared training mats. Now, it's personal—with Strickland's unhinged comments and even threats of gun violence hanging over the buildup. But Chimaev isn't biting. To him, Strickland is just a "clown" whose words are background noise.
"Why should I care about what the guy's gonna do?" Chimaev said. "If you're the hunter, so he does..."
The message is clear: Chimaev isn't studying Strickland any closer than any other opponent. He's not changing his game plan, his preparation, or his mindset. The belt didn't change him. The trash talk won't rattle him. And come fight night, Khamzat Chimaev will still be the same hungry predator who has never known defeat.
For fans, that's exactly what makes UFC 328 must-watch. For fighters, it's a reminder that sometimes the most dangerous champion is the one who refuses to believe he's already arrived.