Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland have arrived at the UFC 328 press conference. Event organizers have positioned the fighters at opposite ends of the stage to ensure additional distance between them. This seating arrangement is being implemented as a precautionary measure given the animosity between the two competitors. The unusual staging setup highlights the UFC's concerns about potential confrontations during the media event.
Organizers at the UFC 328 press conference took deliberate steps on Wednesday to keep Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland separated, seating the two middleweights at opposite ends of the stage ahead of their meeting this Saturday night.
The precautionary arrangement reflects the well-documented animosity between the pair, with the UFC opting to build in as much physical distance as the staging setup would allow rather than risk an incident in front of assembled media.
Sean Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, enters UFC 328 carrying a 31-7 record. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, is one of the division's most relentless pressure fighters, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, "Tarzan" has built his championship run on volume and forward aggression.
Opposite him sits the division's top-ranked contender, Khamzat Chimaev. The 32-year-old "Borz," who competes out of the United Arab Emirates and trains at Allstars Training Center, holds a 15-1 record and sits tenth in the pound-for-pound rankings. At six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, Chimaev brings an elite wrestling threat, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 60 percent.
Why it matters
- The middleweight title is on the line, with the division's top contender directly challenging the reigning champion
- Chimaev's elite grappling output averaged against Strickland's high-volume striking creates a sharply contrasting style matchup
- Any incident at the press conference would carry significant implications for one of the most anticipated pay-per-view cards of the year
Saturday, May 9, 2026
