Chimaev-Strickland headlines UFC 328

Sean Strickland will put his middleweight title on the line against Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 328, set for May 9 in Newark, New Jersey, the promotion has announced.

Strickland, known as "Tarzan," enters the bout as the reigning middleweight champion at 31-7-0. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. He is one of the most prolific volume strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy, making him a constant pressure fighter who can grind opponents down over championship rounds.

Chimaev, nicknamed "Borz," brings a 15-1-0 record and arrives as the division's top-ranked contender and the number-ten fighter on the pound-for-pound list. The 32-year-old, representing the United Arab Emirates and training at Allstars Training Center, stands six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach. His striking accuracy sits at an elite 60 percent, but it is his grappling that sets him apart — he averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts in the same span, numbers that few in the sport can match at any weight class.

Why it matters

• Strickland's title reign faces its most formidable test from the undefeated Chimaev, whose elite takedown volume poses a genuine threat to the champion's game plan.
• A Chimaev victory would install one of the sport's most hyped unbeaten prospects as middleweight champion, reshaping the division's landscape heading into 2026.
• The stylistic contrast — Strickland's high-output boxing against Chimaev's suffocating wrestling and submission threat — sets up one of the most compelling matchups in recent middleweight history.
• The bout anchors UFC's spring pay-per-view slate and raises the profile of the 185-pound division at a pivotal moment.