Following UFC 328, analyst Vlad Matveev theorized that Khamzat Chimaev may have originally been preparing for a light heavyweight debut before plans changed at the last moment. This would explain Chimaev's conditioning issues that saw him fade after one round despite working with top-level sports science professionals. The analysis also noted that Chimaev's pre-fight demeanor of constantly reaching out to shake hands and embrace Strickland looked awkward after all the heated buildup, especially given that he couldn't dominate in the fight itself. Regarding the co-main event, Joshua Van versus Tatsuro Taira was described as the "Moreno vs Figueiredo for zoomers," with predictions they will fight again for the title. Alexander Volkov was noted as receiving favorable judging for the second consecutive close fight.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
