Khamzat Chimaev will get the possibility to finally silence Sean Strickland because the pair settle their feud this May.
The brash former middleweight champion has been going at Chimaev for the reason that pair shared the cage for sparring almost 4 years ago. Now, they may do battle on the Prudential Center in Newark on May 9 within the major event of UFC 328.
Dana White announced the fight, together with the major events of an additional nine cards, in a lengthy YouTube video today with considerably more production value than his usual Instagram Live efforts.
- Who’s Sean Strickland? Get to know the controversial former UFC Middleweight champion
Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland UFC 328 major event
After he won the UFC middleweight world title last August against Dricus Du Plessis, it seemed clear that Nassourdine Imavov could be Khamzat Chimaev’s first challenger. Nevertheless, Sean Strickland’s third round knockout win over Anthony Hernandez last week earned the American a shot at gold as an alternative.
Strickland is the last man to defeat Imavov, and did so on just a number of days’ notice back in January of 2023. While his return to the title picture with only one win since his rematch defeat to Du Plessis last 12 months could also be controversial, he does hold victories over the division’s number two, 4, five and 6 contenders.
The last time Strickland fought on the Prudential Center in Newark he defeated Paulo Costa in a win that earned him widespread derision for being a colorless five rounder with next to no motion. But he’s undeniably a fan favorite, and delivered as he guarantees in his last outing.
Meanwhile, Khamzat Chimaev is one of the dominant fighters in UFC history, and will likely be a large favourite against Strickland.
The co-main event will see number two heavyweight Alexander Volkov tackle the fast-rising Waldo Cortes-Acosta. Sean Brady and Joaquin Buckley will battle it out on the major card, and former light-heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz rematches Bogdan Guskov.
Fan favorites King Green and Jeremy Stephens will open the major card, with a featured middleweight prelim between Joe Rogan’s pick for future star Ateba Gautier against Ozzy Diaz.
Sean Strickland claims he made Khamzat Chimaev quit during sparring
There had long been a consensus understanding that Khamzat Chimaev got the higher of his sparring sessions with Sean Strickland back within the day. Nevertheless, at his UFC Houston media day, the previous champion had a distinct version of events.
“I made him quit in training,” Strickland insisted. “Witnesses are within the audience, where’s Eric [Nicksick, head coach of Xtreme Couture] at? We were doing positional grappling and he f—ing starts on my back and it was the primary round and I let him f—ing choke me because nobody gives a f—.
“Let me let you know about this little b—-, I’ll let you know. Once I walk right into a gym, do you’re thinking that that I’m going find the little weakest man and say ‘let’s spar’? I’m going find the most important baddest motherf—er and say ‘I need to go spar you’.
“Each time Chimaev would walk within the gym he would pick the smallest, lowest level pro and say ‘he looks like my opponent’. You’re beating the f— out of him, this can be a true story and you may ask my whole team, Chimaev is a f—ing bully.
“When you notice what he does within the division is he just runs and f—ing hides. He desires to go to 205lb and fight f—ing Jiri. You’re the f—ing champ, dude. You only run and f—ing hide. You probably did it if you trained with us and also you’re doing it with the f—ing division.”