The UFC 328 press conference featuring Khamzat Chimaev versus Sean Strickland attracted approximately 210,000 live viewers on YouTube, ranking as the fifth-highest viewership for a UFC press conference in history. The event was the highest-viewed press conference that did not feature Conor McGregor. The top four viewership numbers all involved McGregor, with his UFC 229 bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov leading at 505,000 live viewers. The strong viewership indicates significant fan interest in the Chimaev-Strickland title fight. The numbers demonstrate the drawing power of both fighters despite neither being established pay-per-view stars.
The UFC 328 press conference drew approximately 210,000 live viewers on YouTube, making it the fifth-most-watched press conference in UFC history and the most-viewed edition ever to not feature Conor McGregor. The milestone highlights substantial public appetite for the middleweight title fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland, scheduled for UFC 328 on May 9, 2026. The four press conferences that outperformed it all involved McGregor, with his UFC 229 clash against Khabib Nurmagomedov topping the all-time list at 505,000 live viewers.
Chimaev enters the fight ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound, carrying a 15-1-0 record at 32 years old. The UAE-based Allstars Training Center product is a genuine two-way threat, posting a striking accuracy of 60 percent alongside 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes — numbers that underscore his versatility across all phases.
Strickland, 35, holds the middleweight championship with a 31-7-0 record and brings relentless forward pressure from his six-foot-one frame and a 76-inch reach. Fighting out of Xtreme Couture, the American orthodox striker lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute, one of the higher output rates in the division.
Why it matters
- The 210,000-viewer figure places both fighters among the UFC's biggest promotional draws despite limited pay-per-view headlining history.
- A title defense for Strickland against the division's top-ranked contender carries full divisional stakes at 185 pounds.
- The style matchup pits Strickland's high-volume striking output against Chimaev's elite-level grappling and submission threat.
- The viewership benchmark, surpassing every non-McGregor press conference on record, signals the fight has crossed into mainstream fan awareness ahead of fight night.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
