Khamzat Chimaev has published video footage showing him sparring with Sean Strickland. The post itself contains minimal details beyond announcing the video release. This comes ahead of their scheduled UFC 328 bout and appears to be part of the pre-fight promotion. The context suggests this is training footage being shared publicly, likely to build interest in their upcoming matchup.
Khamzat Chimaev has publicly released sparring footage featuring UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, offering fans an early look at the two fighters sharing the mat ahead of their scheduled UFC 328 matchup.
Strickland, 35, enters the bout as the reigning middleweight champion, carrying a 31-7 record. The American fighter out of Xtreme Couture stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and has built his title reign on relentless volume, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy. He is one of the most active punchers in the division.
Chimaev, nicknamed Borz, comes in as the number-one ranked middleweight and sits tenth on the pound-for-pound list. The 32-year-old fighting out of the UAE holds a 15-1 record and trains with Allstars Training Center. At six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, he brings an elite blend of striking efficiency — 60 percent accuracy — and suffocating grappling, averaging 5.29 takedowns and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Chimaev is the top-ranked middleweight challenger, making this a clear title unification fight with no ranking filler involved
- The footage released publicly suggests a deliberate promotional push, building anticipation well ahead of UFC 328
- Stylistically, Strickland's high-output boxing meets Chimaev's high-percentage striking and elite wrestling — a contrast that makes the matchup particularly compelling at 185 pounds
