Khamzat Chimaev is conducting sparring sessions with Brendan Allen as part of his preparation for his upcoming fight against Sean Strickland at UFC 328. The training footage was captured by Bear Degidio and shows the two middleweights working together in the cage. Allen is serving as a training partner to help Chimaev prepare for his high-profile matchup with Strickland. This sparring represents part of Chimaev's camp as he readies himself for one of his biggest UFC fights to date. The choice of Allen as a sparring partner suggests strategic preparation given Allen's middleweight experience.
Khamzat Chimaev has been spotted sparring with Brendan Allen as he builds his camp ahead of his middleweight clash with Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9. Training footage captured by Bear Degidio shows the two 188-centimeter middleweights working together in the cage.
Chimaev, ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound, carries a 15-1 record and trains out of Allstars Training Center in the United Arab Emirates. The 32-year-old is one of the sport's most dominant grapplers, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing significant strikes at a 60 percent accuracy rate — the highest among the three fighters involved in this camp.
Allen makes for a logical sparring choice. The 30-year-old from Kill Cliff FC sits at number five in the middleweight rankings and owns a 26-7 record. His well-rounded skillset — 1.56 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, paired with 53 percent striking accuracy — gives Chimaev a technically credible partner to sharpen his preparation.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, brings a contrasting profile into UFC 328. "Tarzan" is 31-7 and fights out of Xtreme Couture, where the 35-year-old has refined one of the sport's busiest striking outputs, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute with a 76-inch reach backing him up.
Why it matters
- Chimaev is the division's top-ranked contender challenging a reigning titleholder, making this one of the most significant bouts at 185 pounds in 2026
- Allen's combination of grappling and striking makes him a credible Strickland surrogate for training purposes
- A Chimaev victory would hand him the middleweight belt in what would be a defining moment for one of the UFC's most hyped careers
Saturday, May 9, 2026
