In a move that's breaking one of MMA's oldest unwritten rules, UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev has released never-before-seen training footage featuring his bitter rival Sean Strickland—just days before their highly anticipated title clash at UFC 328.

The undefeated champion took to social media on Tuesday to share a short clip of a past sparring session with Strickland, who challenges him for the 185-pound belt this Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The two fighters have long traded conflicting accounts of their time training together, with Strickland claiming he once made Chimaev "quit" during a session. Chimaev, never one to let a slight slide, fired back by reminding Strickland of his dominant win over Dricus du Plessis—the former champion who holds two victories over Strickland.

"I am bullying weak people," Chimaev wrote alongside the clip, which shows him on the offensive for the majority of the 30-second exchange. While the footage is far from the dramatic, knockout blow either fighter has suggested in their verbal sparring, it's enough to add fuel to an already raging fire.

So why release this now? The timing suggests Chimaev is looking to shift the narrative around UFC 328's grudge match, which has been dominated by both fighters exchanging threats of outside-the-cage violence. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Strickland didn't hold back, calling Chimaev "a f*cking coward." Chimaev, in turn, encouraged the war of words, knowing it only adds to the spectacle of Saturday's showdown.

For Chimaev, the stakes couldn't be higher: he looks to remain undefeated and notch his first UFC title defense. For Strickland, the opportunity is historic—a win would make him just the second two-time middleweight champion in UFC history, joining the legendary Israel Adesanya. All will be decided when the cage door closes, but one thing is certain: the receipts are out, and the tension has never been thicker.