UFC 328: Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland Preview & Prediction
The middleweight title is on the line against the backdrop of one of the most toxic matchups in recent memory, with Khamzat Chimaev defending his title against the brash Sean Strickland.
Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland facts
What time are Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland expected to walk out?
Where is UFC 328: Chimaev vs Strickland? Prudential Center, Newark, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC 328: Chimaev vs Strickland? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 328
What TV channel is UFC 328: Chimaev vs Strickland on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC 328: Chimaev vs Strickland? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC 328: Chimaev vs Strickland main card
Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland (Middleweight)
Joshua Van vs Tatsuro Taira (Flyweight)
Alexander Volkov vs Waldo-Cortes Acosta (Heavyweight)
Sean Brady vs Joaquin Buckley (Welterweight)
King Green vs Jeremy Stephens (Lightweight)
UFC 328: Chimaev vs Strickland prelims
Ateba Gautier vs Osman Diaz (Middleweight)
Joel Alvarez vs Yaroslav Amosov (Welterweight)
Grant Dawson vs Mateusz Rebecki (Lightweight)
Jim Miller vs Jared Gordon (Lightweight)
Roman Kopylov vs Marco Tulio (Middleweight)
Pat Sabatini vs William Gomis (Featherweight)
Baisangur Susurkaev vs Djorden Santos (Middleweight)
Clayton Carpenter vs Jose Ochoa (Flyweight)
Khamzat Chimaev: Can "Borz" add to his undefeated aura with his first title defense?
Widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in mixed martial arts history, Khamzat Chimaev (15-0) makes the first defense of the title that he won in a shutout against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319, after moving up from welterweight. A precocious grappling talent with lethal submissions and suffocating control ability, Chimaev has had his way on the ground with virtually all of his 15 professional opponents to date; Gerald Meerschaert remains the only man on the roster not to get taken down in the first round by the Russian prodigy and that's only because he got KO'd instead.
Sean Strickland: Can the outspoken American pull off one of the greatest upsets in recent memory?
Best known for his extremely NSFW soundbites, many had written former 185 pound champion, Sean Strickland (30-7), out of the middleweight title picture following back-to-back defeats to then champion, Dricus du Plessis. One of the most defensively sound fighters in UFC history who earned the title in a historic upset against Israel Adesanya, Strickland is often ridiculed for his jab and teep, finish-light approach, but it's largely worked for him against some of the better operators at 185 pounds. Case in point, he's coming off a finish victory over Anthony Hernandez, a fighter that many had earmarked as a sure-fire title challenger off the back of an eight fight win streak.
Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland prediction
Despite the intensely bad blood behind this match up, there’s a solid chance that this ends up being an absolute stinker.
Has Strickland wound Chimaev up enough to prompt an increased level of aggression out of “Borz?” Strickland is never going to avoid the takedown for five rounds, but if Chimaev gets carried away in his efforts to put the American’s face through the mat, he might begin to sacrifice position in favour of causing damage, potentially allowing openings for the American to scramble back to his feet.
However, make no mistake; Chimaev is more than capable of repeating his suffocating performance over Dricus du Plessis here. The South African arguably got the better of the grappling exchanges during both his fights with Strickland and he got absolutely mauled on the ground by Chimaev. Not only is that not the most promising sign for a Strickland upset, but it showed that Khamzat is perfectly willing to sacrifice entertainment value for a dominant victory.
Described by many as a notoriously underrated grappler, I think Strickland is ultimately good enough to not get submitted in the first round. However, even if he does survive the early goings, will he find any later success against Chimaev? Much was made of what could unfold if the champ was dragged into deep waters, but he put much of that to bed with his dominant five round shut out against “DDP.”
Ultimately, Chimaev is arguably the most dominant grappler in the history of the sport. Strickland will have his moments, but “Borz” is a talent of such proportions that I won’t be picking against him until somebody proves that it’s even possible to beat him. It's not even outside the realms of possibility that he finishes Strickland in lightning quick fashion, a la Robert Whittaker or Kevin Holland.
Prediction: Khamzat Chimaev to win
