Dana White says the battle between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland is likely one of the worst in UFC historical past.
Chimaev and Strickland will battle for the middleweight title in the primary occasion of UFC 328 on Saturday, however the street main as much as the battle was something however clean. In latest weeks, Strickland and Chimaev have fired pictures at one another within the media, issued demise threats and mocked all the pieces from their religion to their upbringing, however all the pieces boiled over in Thursday’s pregame press convention when Chimaev kicked Strickland throughout a confrontation.
Evidently, this has been one of the vital intense feuds in UFC historical past, and in keeping with UFC CEO Dana White, it is close to the highest.
“It was precisely what I anticipated,” White informed Nina Drama when requested concerning the press convention on Thursday’s Kickstream. The extremely anticipated match will lastly happen on Saturday. …
“All that basically issues is that it is a good sport. However generally the gamers are very respectful and calm and no matter, and that is what occurred immediately. The beauty of press conferences is that they are wide-ranging. They don’t seem to be all the time the identical. However for this one, this is likely one of the worst, worst, worst circumstances of all time. I would put it quantity two on my all-time record.”
That begs the query. What’s No. 1? Director White has on condition that honor to the vicious rivalry between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor. Amongst different issues, Conor McGregor threw a dolly by means of a bus window and Nurmagomedov jumped off the cage, inflicting a brawl after the battle.
“Conor Khabib No. 1,” White stated. “And the one motive Connor Khabib is No. 1 is in Brooklyn. And what occurred after the sport. … We clearly made some errors main as much as that sport and after that sport. And we can’t do this once more.”
But it surely wasn’t the one feud between the 2 in UFC historical past, and when requested to call his high 5, White modified his thoughts about Chimaev and Strickland taking silver, as an alternative shedding the unending battle between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier, knocking Chimaev and Strickland down to 3rd place.
“(Jones and Cormier) have a very good relationship,” White stated when reminded of their many arguments. “That is a very good level. A whole fist battle in the midst of the MGM Grand. Really, you are proper. … That is most likely the second. I forgot there was a battle within the foyer of the MGM whereas folks had been checking into the resort.”
“I might put (Chimaev vs. Strickland) at No. 3. I might put Rampage (Jackson) and Rashad (Evans) there. Tito (Ortiz) and (Ken Shamrock) must be there.”
In fact, the weekend is not over but. There’s all the time an opportunity that Chimaev and Strickland will proceed to gasoline the flames of their feud and transfer up the rankings. However after the altercation in Thursday’s showdown, White believes it could possibly be simply as dangerous as this week’s state of affairs.
“I had his arm, Khamzat’s arm, and I did not suppose he would kick him,” White stated. “I didn’t suppose he wasn’t going to do something, I assumed he was going to yell or speak again.
“That is the most important mistake we’ll make this weekend. That is the most important mistake we’ll make.”
