UFC president Dana White announced Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland as the middleweight title main event for UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark. This blockbuster matchup pits the dominant champion Chimaev against former champ Strickland, potentially reshaping the 185-pound division amid ongoing title picture debates. White also revealed four more main events: Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa (featherweights, May 16, Las Vegas), Song Yadong vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (bantamweights, May 30, Macau), and Belal Muhammad vs. Gabriel Bonfim (welterweights, June 6, Las Vegas), plus Aljamain Sterling vs. Youssef Zalal on April 25 in Las Vegas. These bookings fill key slots through mid-2026, boosting featherweight, bantamweight, and welterweight contention. Expect rankings shifts and fan hype as camps begin.
UFC president Dana White officially announced a middleweight title main event for UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark, placing champion Sean Strickland across the cage from Khamzat Chimaev in what figures to be one of the most anticipated bouts of 2026.
Strickland, 35, carries a 31-7 record into the fight and currently holds the 185-pound title. The American out of Xtreme Couture stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and ranks among the most active strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. Known by the nickname "Tarzan," the orthodox fighter has rebuilt his standing at middleweight into undisputed championship status.
White also announced four additional main events at the same time. England's Arnold Allen, ranked fifth at featherweight with a 21-4 record, meets Melquizael Costa on May 16 in Las Vegas. Allen, 32, fights out of Tristar Gym as a southpaw and lands 3.52 significant strikes per minute with a 43 percent accuracy rate.
Song Yadong takes on Deiveson Figueiredo in a bantamweight main event set for May 30 in Macau. On June 6 in Las Vegas, Belal Muhammad squares off with Gabriel Bonfim in a welterweight contest. Bonfim, ranked tenth at 170 pounds, brings a 19-1 record and considerable all-around pressure — the 28-year-old Brazilian lands 4.61 significant strikes per minute and averages 3.6 takedowns per 15 minutes for the Bonfim Brothers camp. Rounding out the announcements, Aljamain Sterling meets Youssef Zalal on April 25 in Las Vegas.
Why it matters
- Chimaev vs. Strickland decides the middleweight title and could reshape the entire 185-pound contender ladder
- Allen's featherweight bout at ranked fifth carries direct top-five implications at 145 pounds
- Bonfim's welterweight entry at ranked tenth puts him in striking distance of a title-contention run with a win over Muhammad
- The bookings fill a dense stretch of cards from late April through early June, elevating multiple divisions simultaneously
Saturday, May 9, 2026
