Khamzat Chimaev spars with Brendan Allen ahead of UFC 328 bout

Footage of Khamzat Chimaev sparring with middleweight contender Brendan Allen has surfaced online, offering a glimpse into the Borz's training camp as he gears up for his middleweight title fight against Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9. The session was filmed and shared publicly by Bear Degidio.

Chimaev, 32, enters the bout ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound, carrying a 15-1 record under the UAE flag while training out of Allstars Training Center in Sweden. The Chechen-born fighter is one of the sport's most relentless grapplers, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing significant strikes at a 60 percent accuracy clip — the highest of any fighter involved in this matchup.

Allen, the number-five-ranked middleweight at 30 years old, brings genuine elite-level credentials to the training room. The Kill Cliff FC product holds a 26-7 record and offers Chimaev a physically similar look to Strickland — six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach. Allen is himself a well-rounded threat, posting 1.56 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside a 53 percent striking accuracy rate.

Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, is a high-volume striker who throws at 6.04 significant strikes per minute with an orthodox stance. The 35-year-old Xtreme Couture product stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and carries a 31-7 record into the defense of his title.

Why it matters

• Chimaev is the top-ranked middleweight challenger, making this a title fight with clear divisional stakes
• Allen's physical dimensions and orthodox stance mirror Strickland's, making him a logical sparring choice
• The matchup pits the division's most dangerous wrestler against its highest-volume striker