UFC 328: Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland preview - prediction, tale of the tape, career records

The Prudential Center successful New Jersey is gearing up to big UFC 328 this Saturday nighttime arsenic Khamzat Chimaev defends his middleweight rubric against Sean Strickland.

Regarded arsenic 1 of the astir heated rivalries successful MMA, bragging rights volition beryllium conscionable arsenic important arsenic the title belt, with some men looking to settee their long-held beef.

Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland preview

Chimaev not lone enters this combat arsenic the defending champion, but the Chechen superstar is besides the overwhelming favourite according to the bookmakers.

The 32-year-old climbed to the apical of the middleweight part with a ascendant triumph implicit Dricus du Plessis past August – arguably 1 of the astir one-sided rubric victories successful caller years.

Chimaev utilised his ultimate wrestling skills to smother DDP for 5 successive rounds, extending his nonrecreational MMA grounds to 15-0, with 9 of those wins coming successful the UFC.

The existent middleweight champion already boasts an unthinkable CV, picking up wins implicit Gilbert Burns, Kevin Hilland, Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker.

Borz volition present beryllium looking to adhd Strickland’s sanction to the database arsenic helium attempts to extremity 1 of the astir heated rivalries successful the UFC since Conor McGregor’s aggravated showdown with Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Strickland is simply a erstwhile middleweight champion, and the American volition beryllium looking to scope the pinnacle of the part for the 2nd clip successful his vocation this Saturday night.

The 35-year-old archetypal tasted UFC golden backmost successful 2023 erstwhile helium sensationally defeated Israel Adesanya via unanimous determination to assertion the title belt.

Successive defeats to Du Plessis knocked Strickland back, though helium earned different rubric accidental with a devastating triumph implicit Anthony Hernandez past February.

This would not beryllium a mean Strickland lawsuit without controversy, and Tarzan has surely delivered plentifulness of play with a bid of arguable comments astir his opponent.

The rivalry betwixt Chimaev and Strickland has been gathering for years, and the pre-fight property league lone built further hostility arsenic some men traded verbal blows.

In fact, the explosive hostility surrounding Saturday’s clash has sparked a disposable translation successful UFC brag Dana White, efficaciously snapping him retired of his caller apathy and reigniting a occurrence that galore thought had flickered out.

Tale of the tape

Age: 32
Nickname: Borz
Height: 6 ft 2 successful (188 cm)
Reach: 75 successful (190 cm)
Fights: 15
Wins: 15
Draws: 0
Defeats: 0
Last Fight: UD Win vs Dricus du Plessis (August 16, 2025)

Age: 35
Nickname: Tarzan
Height: 6 ft 1 successful (185 cm)
Reach: 76 successful (193 cm)
Fights: 37
Wins: 30
Draws: 0
Defeats: 7
Last Fight: TKO Win vs Anthony Hernandez (February 21, 2026)

Career records

Rank: #3
Total: 37
Wins: 30
By knockout: 12
By submission: 4
By decision: 14
Losses: 7
By knockout: 2

Rank: #Champion
Total: 15
Wins: 15
By knockout: 6
By submission: 6
By decision: 3
Losses: 0
By knockout: 0

We say: Chimaev to support middleweight belt

There is simply a crushed wherefore Chimaev is favoured heavy by the bookmakers, and it each comes down to 1 happening – his elite wrestling ability.

The defending champion wholly dominated DDP successful his past outing, and astir are expecting Chimaev to travel the nonstop aforesaid crippled program against Strickland.