The UFC 328 press conference featuring Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland attracted 210,000 concurrent viewers on YouTube, making it the fifth-highest-viewed UFC press conference of all time. More significantly, it ranks as the most-watched press conference in UFC history that did not feature Conor McGregor. The top four viewership records all involved McGregor, led by UFC 229's Khabib vs McGregor presser with 505,000 live viewers. UFC 264 (McGregor vs Poirier 3) drew 360,000, UFC 196 (McGregor vs Diaz) had 360,000, and UFC 202 (McGregor vs Diaz 2) brought 300,000 viewers. The strong viewership demonstrates significant fan interest in the Chimaev-Strickland matchup.
The UFC 328 pre-fight press conference drew 210,000 concurrent live viewers on YouTube, establishing itself as a landmark moment in the promotion's media history ahead of the event scheduled for May 9, 2026.
The press conference centered on the middleweight title matchup between Khamzat Chimaev and reigning champion Sean Strickland. Strickland, 35, carries a 31-7-0 record and holds the middleweight title fighting out of Xtreme Couture. The American stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and is one of the most active strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. Known as "Tarzan," Strickland fights out of an orthodox stance and brings relentless forward pressure to every performance.
The 210,000-viewer figure places UFC 328 fifth on the all-time list for UFC press conference viewership. Crucially, the four events ranked above it all featured Conor McGregor, making this the most-watched UFC press conference in history not to include the Irish superstar. The record holder remains the UFC 229 presser for Khabib Nurmagomedov versus McGregor, which attracted 505,000 live viewers. UFC 264 and UFC 196 each drew 360,000, while UFC 202 pulled 300,000.
Why it matters
- The viewership figure signals elite mainstream interest in a middleweight title fight, a division that historically trails lighter and heavier classes in pay-per-view draw
- Cracking the all-time top five without McGregor's presence underscores the individual star power both fighters bring to the matchup
- The result adds commercial weight to the middleweight title picture heading into UFC 328
Saturday, May 9, 2026
