Chimaev defends title vs Strickland at UFC 328

Reports suggest that UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev is set to make his first title defense against former champion Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark, New Jersey, headlining a major pay-per-view card on Paramount+. The bout has not been officially confirmed, and details surrounding the matchup should be treated as unverified at this stage.

Chimaev, known by his nickname "Borz," carries a 15-1-0 record and competes for the United Arab Emirates. The 32-year-old trains out of Allstars Training Center and stands six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach. His dominance is built on elite grappling — he averages an extraordinary 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes — and a striking accuracy of 60 percent, well above the sport's typical benchmarks. Ranked tenth in the pound-for-pound standings, Chimaev enters this reported fight as the reigning middleweight champion.

Strickland, nicknamed "Tarzan," is a 35-year-old American out of Xtreme Couture who holds a 31-7-0 record. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, the orthodox southpaw is listed as a current champion in the verified data, suggesting a layered title picture in the division. He is among the most active strikers in the weight class, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute, though his accuracy sits at 42 percent, reflecting his relentless volume-based approach.

Why it matters

• Chimaev's first reported title defense would be an immediate high-stakes test against a former champion
• Strickland's 76-inch reach and high-output boxing present a stylistic puzzle for Chimaev's grappling-heavy game
• A Chimaev victory would reinforce his middleweight dominance; a Strickland win would mark a second title reign for "Tarzan"
• The outcome, if the fight is made official, would carry significant pound-for-pound and divisional ranking implications