The Ultimate Fighting Championship is taking no chances with the upcoming UFC 328 pre-fight press conference. According to a report from journalist Irati Prat of Marca, the organization has decided to physically separate the event's headliners, middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev and former champion Sean Strickland.
The two fighters will be positioned at opposite ends of the stage during the media event. This strategic seating arrangement is a common promotional tactic used by the UFC to prevent potential confrontations and maintain a controlled environment when tensions between athletes are high.
The press conference is scheduled to begin at 00:00 Moscow time. It will serve as the final major promotional appearance for the fighters before they step into the octagon.
The championship bout between Chimaev and Strickland is set for May 10 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. Chimaev, who represents the United Arab Emirates, will be defending his middleweight title against the American former champion.
The decision to separate the competitors underscores the intensity of the rivalry and the promotion's desire to ensure the event proceeds without incident. Fans and media will be watching closely to see if the physical distance is enough to keep the peace.
For those following the event, the sports portal Чемпионат will provide a live text-based online broadcast of both the press conference and the fight night itself.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.