Paths to Victory: How can Sean Strickland pull off another upset and defeat Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328?

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 07: (L-R) Opponents Khamzat Chimaev of Russia and Sean Strickland face off during the UFC 328 press conference at Prudential Center on May 07, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC) UFC 328 goes down this Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, headlined by a middleweight title fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland. Chimaev is making the first defense of his title, while Strickland looks to reclaim the belt that was once his.

So, let’s take a look at how each man can leave New Jersey as the king of the middleweight division. Paths to Victory for Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 Khamzat Chimaev is a force of nature. Since his very first fight in the octagon, the MMA world expected big things from Chimaev.

“Borz” came into the UFC with all the promise in the world, looking like a young Khabib Nurmagomedov. He was explosive, athletic, powerful, and a hellacious grappler. And though his career nearly got derailed by illness, he finally made good on that potential last year, winning the UFC middleweight title.

Chimaev’s title win was the same as nearly every other performance of his career: a showcase of his dominant grappling ability. Dricus du Plessis is one of the best fighters in the world and a physical powerhouse, and he was rendered almost completely inert by the blinding speed and positional perfection of Chimaev. The only blemish on Chimaev’s performance in that fight was an apparent unwillingness to seek a finish against du Plessis, but that’s a small complaint given his history.