UFC 328 poll asks fans to pick between Chimaev and Strickland

Ahead of UFC 328 on May 9, a fan poll is circulating online asking MMA followers to pick their winner between middleweight champion Sean Strickland and top contender Khamzat Chimaev, framing the bout as a contest where one fighter will decisively finish the other.

Strickland, known as "Tarzan," enters the fight as the reigning middleweight champion with a record of 31-7-0. The 35-year-old American trains out of Xtreme Couture and brings a relentless output to the Octagon, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute across his career. His reach of 76 inches — 193 cm — gives him a slight physical edge in the standup exchanges he consistently seeks.

Chimaev, nicknamed "Borz," is the division's top-ranked contender and sits at number ten in the pound-for-pound rankings. The 32-year-old, who competes under the UAE flag and trains at Allstars Training Center in Sweden, holds a 15-1-0 record and represents one of the most complete threats in the division. He averages a remarkable 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 60 percent of his significant strikes, a figure that stands well above the divisional average. He also attempts 1.8 submissions per 15 minutes, underlining his ability to finish fights on the ground.

Why it matters

• The middleweight title is directly on the line, with Chimaev seeking his first UFC championship
• Chimaev's elite grappling output clashes with Strickland's high-volume striking approach, creating a genuine stylistic puzzle
• A Chimaev win would vault him from number one contender to champion, reshaping the division's landscape heading into the second half of 2026