UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has responded to criticism from Russian fighter Sharabutdin Magomedov, better known as Shara Bullet.
Earlier, Shara Bullet called Strickland a "home champion" and said he was confident the American would not defend his title outside the United States.
"Made me laugh. Bro, you fought my teammate... There are levels to this game, haha," Strickland wrote on social media.
The exchange added extra intrigue around the middleweight division, where Shara Bullet has been trying to raise his profile with high-profile statements and victories.
Strickland has fought 38 times in MMA, recording 31 wins. Shara Bullet, meanwhile, has 21 victories in 22 professional bouts.
At the recent UFC event in Baku, Shara Bullet defeated Brazil's Michel Pereira by unanimous decision. In the main event of the evening, Azerbaijani fighter Rafael Fiziev knocked out Mexico's Manuel Torres in the second round.
