In a twist that feels ripped straight from a fight week script, Sean Strickland is now facing the same accusations he once leveled at Khamzat Chimaev—and it's his own training partner, Luke Rockhold, who's doing the talking.

Strickland (30-7) is set to challenge the undefeated Chimaev (15-0) for the UFC middleweight title in the main event of UFC 328 on May 9 at Newark's Prudential Center. The bad blood between these two runs deep, stemming from their time training together at Xtreme Couture MMA. Strickland previously accused Chimaev of bullying average fighters in the gym, claiming he prefers to test himself against the best while Chimaev picks on lesser opponents to play the bully.

But now, the tables have turned. Chimaev's longtime training partner, former UFC champion Luke Rockhold, didn't hold back when asked about Strickland's behavior. Rockhold recalled when Strickland first joined their training camp during the early days of the pandemic—and the memories are far from fond.

"Sean is truly a piece of shit... He showed up on our doorstep, and he was just a loud idiot," Rockhold told Ariel Helwani. "He was trying to beat up kids who were helping him and trying to knock them out consistently after he already hurt them. He's just not one of those guys I like to be around, and he's just not a good person."

For fans following this rivalry, the irony is thick. Strickland built a reputation as a straight shooter who calls out what he sees, but now he's being called out in the same way. As UFC 328 approaches, this war of words adds another layer of intensity to a title fight that already had plenty of heat. Whether it's gym etiquette or championship gold, one thing's for sure: these two middleweights are ready to settle the score.