Sean Strickland didn't hold back when he learned fellow middleweight Brendan Allen was helping Khamzat Chimaev prepare for their UFC 328 title fight.
Strickland (30-7 MMA, 17-7 UFC) faces undefeated champion Chimaev (15-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) in Saturday's main event at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The tension is already high, but Strickland's frustration exploded when he found out that Allen—a ranked contender himself—was training with his opponent.
"Brendan Allen, a f*cking idiot," Strickland said in a media scrum. "The guy has an Instagram handle on his truck. I beat him on short notice. Chris Curtis beat him twice on short notice and got robbed by the racist judges. But Brendan Allen, you are the definition of a c*nt."
Strickland's anger isn't just about loyalty—it's about strategy. Allen (26-7 MMA, 14-4 UFC) is ranked No. 5 in the division and coming off an impressive stoppage win over Reinier de Ridder this past October. But instead of focusing on his own path to the title, he's been an instrumental part of Chimaev's camp.
"You're ranked No. 5, and you're talking about a title fight, and you go and you train with the current champion, and the whole world just watched him f*ck you up over and over again," Strickland continued. "All we know of your training camp is that you're getting your ass kicked by Chimaev. You will never fight for the belt."
Strickland didn't mince words about what he thinks Allen should do instead. "If you want to get some advice from me, stop training with the champion. And if you're going to train with him, don't let him beat the f*ck out of you for weeks at a time, you f*cking idiot."
Allen was reportedly seeking a fight with former champ Dricus Du Plessis but instead drew unranked Edmen Shahbazyan at UFC Fight Night 278 on June 6. That bout takes place at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas—a far cry from the title shot Allen seems to believe is within reach.
For Strickland, the message is clear: if you want to be a champion, don't help the champion beat you. And definitely don't let him use you as a punching bag in the process.