Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland participated in a photo session ahead of their main event at UFC 328. This will be Chimaev's first title defense since winning the championship. For Strickland, this marks his fourth title fight in the UFC. The post featured official UFC photography from the promotional shoot. The fight is positioned as the headliner for the event.
Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev faced cameras together this week as the UFC released official promotional photography ahead of their middleweight title clash headlining UFC 328 on May 9.
Strickland, known as "Tarzan," enters the bout as the reigning UFC middleweight champion with a record of 31-7-0. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, carries a six-foot-one frame and a 76-inch reach. He is one of the most active strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute, and this will be his fourth UFC title fight — a measure of how consistently he has operated at the top of the sport.
Chimaev, nicknamed "Borz," holds a 15-1-0 record and enters as the number-one ranked middleweight and number-ten pound-for-pound fighter in the world. The 32-year-old, representing the United Arab Emirates and training at Allstars Training Center, stands six-foot-two and brings a striking accuracy of 60 percent alongside a dominant grappling game — averaging 5.29 takedowns and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes. The bout represents his first championship defense since capturing the middleweight title.
Why it matters
- Chimaev is making his first title defense, giving the fight added stakes for his young reign
- Strickland enters having already navigated three UFC title fights, lending him significant big-fight experience
- The stylistic contrast is sharp: Strickland's high-volume striking against Chimaev's elite wrestling and finishing ability
- A middleweight title fight at the top of UFC 328 raises the event's profile considerably for the division
Saturday, May 9, 2026
