The undefeated wrecking machine is finally ready to put his belt on the line, and what a scrap we’ve got brewing at the Prudential Center. Khamzat Chimaev Sean Strickland will clash in an absolute belter at UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey on 9 May, with Chimaev making his maiden defence of the UFC middleweight strap against the former champion.
Chimaev’s Undefeated Streak Continues
Borz sits pretty at 15-0 after absolutely schooling Dricus du Plessis with a comprehensive unanimous decision back in August to claim his first UFC gold. However, the Chechen destroyer has been cooling his heels ever since, waiting for the perfect dance partner – and he’s got one hell of a test coming his way.
Strickland’s Path Back to Title Contention
Furthermore, Strickland punched his ticket back into title contention the hard way, putting Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez to sleep in brutal fashion just last month. That vicious stoppage was enough to leapfrog the UFC’s third-ranked middleweight over Nassourdine Imavov at number two, despite Imavov’s impressive five-fight winning streak since losing to Strickland back in 2023.
Meanwhile, “Tarzan” knows what it feels like to wear UFC gold around his waist. He shocked the mixed martial arts world by outpointing Israel Adesanya on the scorecards in 2023 to claim the title. However, the American’s reign was short-lived – du Plessis nicked the belt in his first defence, and Strickland couldn’t reclaim it in their February 2025 rematch.
Most importantly, Chimaev’s meteoric rise has him sitting pretty at number four on ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings, but Strickland’s veteran savvy and championship experience make this Khamzat Chimaev Sean Strickland showdown a proper 50-50 war. Newark is going to be absolutely mental come fight night.
