UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev will defend his title against former champion Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 328 on May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The matchup features bad blood between the undefeated champ and the ex-titleholder, marking Chimaev's first defense. The card also includes a flyweight title bout between champion Joshua Van and Tatsuro Taira, rescheduled from UFC 327 after Van's minor injury withdrawal. Additional fights announced: Sean Brady vs Joaquin Buckley (moved from prior Fight Night), Osman Diaz vs Ateba Gautier, Daniel Santos vs Choi Doo-ho, and Jim Miller vs Jared Gordon. This stacked PPV returns UFC to Newark for the 12th time.
UFC 328 has its headliners locked in: middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev will put his title on the line against former champion Sean Strickland on May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, marking the promotion's 12th visit to the arena.
Chimaev enters the bout riding an undefeated professional record and making his first defense of the middleweight title. The matchup carries genuine animosity between the two fighters, setting the stage for a charged atmosphere on fight night.
Strickland, a 35-year-old from the United States representing Xtreme Couture, arrives at 31-7-0 and brings one of the most relentless output games in the division. The six-foot-one orthodox southpaw owns a 76-inch reach and lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy. A former middleweight champion himself, Strickland is well acquainted with championship-level pressure.
The co-main event features flyweight champion Joshua Van defending his title against Japan's Tatsuro Taira. The bout was originally slated for UFC 327 before Van was forced to withdraw with a minor injury. Van, just 24 years old and representing Myanmar, carries a 17-2-0 record into the cage. Standing five-foot-five with a 65-inch reach, he is a high-volume striker who lands an exceptional 8.84 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy.
Also on the card, Sean Brady squares off with Joaquin Buckley in a welterweight contest moved over from a prior Fight Night, while Osman Diaz meets Ateba Gautier. The 24-year-old Gautier, nicknamed "The Silent Assassin," is a physically imposing switch-hitter at six-foot-four with an 81-inch reach and an 11-1-0 professional record. Additional bouts include Daniel Santos vs Choi Doo-ho and Jim Miller vs Jared Gordon.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's first title defense is a genuine grudge match, elevating the stakes beyond a routine championship fight
- Strickland's former champion status and elite striking output make him a credible threat to the unbeaten titleholder
- Van vs Taira, rescheduled after injury, keeps the flyweight title picture from stalling heading into summer
- A loaded undercard gives Newark one of the deeper PPV lineups of the year
Saturday, May 9, 2026
