Chimaev defends middleweight title vs Strickland at UFC 328

Khamzat Chimaev will make the first defense of his UFC middleweight title against former champion Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 328, scheduled for May 9 in Newark, New Jersey. The card airs on Paramount+.

Chimaev, 32, represents the UAE and trains out of Allstars Training Center. He carries a 15-1-0 record and enters ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound. Known for his relentless grappling, "Borz" averages an elite 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 60 percent of his significant strikes — a remarkable accuracy figure that underscores how dominant his offensive output has been. He also averages 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making him a constant threat wherever the fight goes.

Strickland, 35, is a former middleweight champion now holding a 31-7-0 record out of Xtreme Couture. The American southpaw — fighting orthodox — stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and is one of the most active strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. His volume and durable chin have long made him a nightmare matchup for opponents who try to out-strike him, and he also contributes on the grappling side with 0.71 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Why it matters

• Chimaev puts his undefeated run and newly won title on the line for the first time, giving the division its first clear measure of his reign.
• Strickland's high-volume striking and wrestling credentials present a genuine stylistic test for Chimaev's aggressive grappling game.
• The 185-pound landscape hinges on the outcome, as a Strickland victory would mark a second championship run and reset the divisional picture entirely.
• Both men are ranked among the elite at middleweight, ensuring the result carries immediate implications for the contender queue.