Chimaev vs Strickland Set for UFC 328 in Newark

Khamzat Chimaev will put his UFC middleweight title on the line against former champion Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 328, scheduled for May 9 in Newark, New Jersey.

Chimaev, 32, carries a 15-1 record into the bout and enters as the reigning middleweight champion, currently ranked tenth pound-for-pound in the UFC. Fighting out of the United Arab Emirates and training with Allstars Training Center, "Borz" has built a reputation as one of the sport's most suffocating grapplers. His numbers back that up — he averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands a remarkable 60 percent of his significant strikes, the kind of accuracy that makes him dangerous whether the fight stays on the feet or hits the mat.

Strickland, 35, is no stranger to the 185-pound throne. The American fighter out of Xtreme Couture carries a 31-7 record and brings a well-rounded, pressure-heavy game built around volume striking. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, "Tarzan" averages 6.04 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the busiest offensive fighters in the division. His wrestling credentials are also legitimate, and he will not be easily controlled by Chimaev's grappling-first approach.

Why it matters

• Chimaev's first title defense will reveal how he handles elite, seasoned opposition at 185 pounds
• Strickland's volume striking sets up a direct clash with Chimaev's high-accuracy, high-pressure attack
• A Chimaev win would cement his position as the division's dominant force; a Strickland victory would mark his return to the top of the middleweight rankings
• The result will have significant implications for the pound-for-pound rankings heading into summer