UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev will make his first title defense against former champion Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 328, taking place tomorrow (May 9) in Newark, New Jersey. The event will be broadcast on Paramount+. According to reports, there is significant bad blood between the two fighters heading into this matchup. The card also features a second title fight with Petr Yan defending against Sandhagen Taira. This is a major middleweight title clash that could reshape the division's landscape depending on the outcome.
UFC 328 lands in Newark, New Jersey on May 9, with middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev putting his title on the line against former champion Sean Strickland in what promises to be a heated main event. The card will air on Paramount+.
Chimaev, nicknamed "Borz," enters this first title defense riding a 15-1-0 professional record. The 32-year-old representing the United Arab Emirates and training out of Allstars Training Center stands six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach. His numbers tell the story of a wrestler with finishing instincts — an elite 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 60 percent striking accuracy mark him as one of the most efficient fighters in the sport, currently ranked tenth pound-for-pound.
Strickland, the 35-year-old from the United States known as "Tarzan," trains at Xtreme Couture and carries a 31-7-0 record into the cage. The orthodox striker stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and is one of the division's most prolific volume punchers, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. Reports indicate genuine animosity between the two men heading into this fight, adding an extra edge to an already high-stakes matchup.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's wrestling and grappling volume against Strickland's elite striking output creates a compelling stylistic contrast at 185 pounds
- A Strickland win would mark a second title reign for the American veteran and shift the middleweight hierarchy significantly
- The co-main event adds further weight to the card, with bantamweight champion Petr Yan defending against Sandhagen Taira
Yan, a 33-year-old Russian fighter out of Archangel Michael Club, holds a 20-5-0 record and brings 54 percent striking accuracy along with 5.12 significant strikes per minute to his bantamweight title defense, making the Newark card a rare double-championship night for the UFC.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
