The UFC 328 press conference featuring Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland attracted 210,000 concurrent viewers on YouTube, making it the fifth-most watched UFC press conference in history. It ranks as the most-viewed press conference not involving Conor McGregor. The top spot remains held by Khabib Nurmagomedov versus McGregor at UFC 229 with 505,000 live viewers. McGregor features in the second, third, and fourth positions with various matchups. The strong viewership numbers demonstrate significant fan interest in the Chimaev-Strickland middleweight bout and the effectiveness of their promotional efforts heading into fight night.
The UFC 328 press conference headlined by Khamzat Chimaev and middleweight champion Sean Strickland drew 210,000 concurrent viewers on YouTube, placing it fifth on the all-time list of most-watched UFC press conferences.
The number carries an additional distinction: it stands as the highest viewership ever recorded for a UFC press conference not featuring Conor McGregor. The top four spots on the all-time list are all McGregor-linked events, led by the buildup to UFC 229 — Khabib Nurmagomedov versus McGregor — which peaked at 505,000 live viewers.
Strickland, the reigning UFC middleweight champion, enters UFC 328 carrying a 31-7-0 record. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and throws volume at an aggressive pace, averaging 6.04 significant strikes landed per minute. His challenger, Khamzat Chimaev, is not reflected in the verified fighter data provided but features prominently in the promotional machinery that produced these numbers.
Why it matters
- The 210,000-viewer mark signals genuine mainstream appetite for the Chimaev-Strickland matchup heading into fight night on May 9, 2026.
- Cracking the all-time top five without McGregor on the card is a meaningful commercial milestone for both fighters and the UFC's marketing operation.
- Strickland's polarizing personality and Chimaev's unbeaten momentum have combined to create one of the division's most anticipated title fights in recent memory.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
