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Chimaev Defends UFC Title vs Strickland at UFC328

5/6/2026

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Summary

Chimaev Defends Title

Khamzat Chimaev defends his UFC middleweight title against Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark, New Jersey.
Chimaev is unbeaten at 15-0 (9-0 UFC) and a -535 favorite, while Strickland (30-7) is a +400 underdog who predicts a TKO in round four or five.
UFC added extra security after the rivals exchanged heated insults.
The bout streams on Paramount+ in the U.S. and on TNT Sports 1/HBO Max in the U.K.

Summary

Strickland vs Chimaev

Chael Sonnen warned UFC that Khamzat Chimaev embodies a “Russian invasion” of MMA and called Sean Strickland “America’s last hope” to stop it.
Sonnen said the UFC is shying away from Russian prospects, leading many Russian fighters to join the PFL.
Sean Strickland called Chimaev a “dog” and said he hides behind “Chechen lackeys” and religion, and Chimaev hinted at moving to light-heavyweight, that could reshape the UFC’s middleweight scene.

History

Historical Context

After the UFC’s early days were limited to modest venues—UFC 27 took place at the Lakefront Arena in September 2000, the same arena that hosted WCW’s Halloween Havoc pay-per-view in October 1993—the promotion has repeatedly faced regulatory and market pressure. Khamzat Chimaev’s rise revives those legacy concerns as the sport again confronts potential competition and scrutiny.

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Chimaev Defends Title

Khamzat Chimaev defends his UFC middleweight title against Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark, New Jersey.
Chimaev is unbeaten at 15-0 (9-0 UFC) and a -535 favorite, while Strickland (30-7) is a +400 underdog who predicts a TKO in round four or five.
UFC added extra security after the rivals exchanged heated insults.
The bout streams on Paramount+ in the U.S. and on TNT Sports 1/HBO Max in the U.K.

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