Chimaev vs. Strickland Set
Khamzat Chimaev will defend the UFC middleweight title against Sean Strickland on May 9 at Newark’s Prudential Center — the main event for UFC 328 announced this week. The choice sparked controversy: Nasserdine Imavov was reportedly passed over despite a five-fight win streak, and pundits note the matchup’s real bad blood makes it a headline-grabber Khamzat Chimaev Set to Defend Middleweight Title Against Sean Strickland in Main Event of UFC 328 | MiddleEasy; Morning Kombat podcast episode on UFC schedule announcement.
Sean Strickland earned the shot after a second‑round TKO of Anthony Hernandez on Feb. 21, 2026, a finish that promoters cited when advancing his case for a title return. espn.com Nassourdine Imavov — coming off a five‑fight win streak capped by a stoppage of Caio Borralho in Paris — publicly called the decision to pass him over a snub and vowed “my time is coming.” mmajunkie.usatoday.com Insiders pointed to Khamzat Chimaev’s limited activity earlier in the year — the champion was reported to be unavailable until after Ramadan — as a complicating factor for matchmaking. mmafighting.com Oddsmakers leaned toward Chimaev in early markets, while commentators and fighters have already weighed in (Jorge Masvidal publicly predicted a Strickland upset), and UFC brass warned the promotional presser could be chaotic. msn.com
