UFC 328 press conference draws 210,000 live viewers, fifth-highest ever

The press conference for UFC 328, headlined by middleweight champion Sean Strickland against number-one contender Khamzat Chimaev, drew approximately 210,000 live viewers on YouTube, placing it fifth on the all-time list of most-watched UFC press conferences. Notably, it stands as the highest-viewed press conference in UFC history not to feature Conor McGregor. The record remains held by the Khabib Nurmagomedov versus McGregor build-up ahead of UFC 229, which peaked at 505,000 live viewers.

Strickland, nicknamed "Tarzan," enters UFC 328 as the reigning middleweight champion with a record of 31 wins and 7 losses. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the division's most active pressers.

His challenger, Khamzat "Borz" Chimaev, carries a 15-1 record and holds both the number-one middleweight ranking and the number-ten spot on the pound-for-pound list. The 32-year-old, who represents the United Arab Emirates and trains at Allstars Training Center in Sweden, is one of the sport's most complete threats — landing 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes while posting a striking accuracy of 60 percent, among the highest in the division.

Why it matters

• The viewership figure signals rare mainstream crossover interest for a non-McGregor UFC event
• A Strickland title defense against the top-ranked Chimaev carries significant divisional implications at 185 pounds
• Chimaev's elite grappling rate against Strickland's volume striking sets up a compelling stylistic contrast