A pair of world titles will be at stake on Saturday, including one of the hottest feuds in recent memory in the main event, when UFC 328 takes place inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Unbeaten middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev will make his first title defense against bitter rival and former beltholder Sean Strickland in the headliner. In the co-main event, Joshua Van will make the first defense of his flyweight title against streaking contender Tatsuro Taira. Sign up for Paramount+ and watch UFC 328: Chimaev vs. Strickland live for no additional fee — every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!As we draw closer to this weekend’s event, let’s take a look at the biggest storylines surrounding UFC 328. 1. Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland really, really don’t like each otherWhat began as a disagreement inside the Extreme Couture gym in Las Vegas, where Strickland accused the visiting Chimaev of being a bully to his sparring partners, has turned into one of the hottest blood feuds in recent UFC title history. Chimaev will put his 15-0 record and middleweight title at stake in his first fight since absolutely demolishing Dricus du Plessis to win the belt last August. And to suggest that UFC is doing the right move by increasing its security detail ahead of Saturday would be an understatement. The heat here is real — very real — and has even escalated to potentially dangerous levels after Strickland, during a media scrum last week amid training camp, threatened he would shoot Chimaev and his team if they confronted him during fight week. The brash Strickland (30-7) has repeatedly called Chimaev a “weak man” and hasn’t let a recent interview go by without degrading the native of Russia on just about every topic. UFC is expecting to limit any faceoffs or potential interactions between the two to Friday’s ceremonial weigh in. To paraphrase the late WWE Hall of Famer Gorilla Monsoon, the tension hovering above the Octagon this weekend will be so thick, you can cut it with a knife.
2. If Strickland can’t slow Chimaev, are there any middleweights who can?That’s the question that has been thrown by fans and critics alike of late given Chimaev’s sublime grappling skills and the mean streak in which he inflicts ground and pound. If there was anyone at 185 pounds in the…
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2026-05-05 01:18:22
