Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns this weekend (Sat., May 9, 2026) with UFC 328: “Chimaev vs. Strickland,” live from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The card is headlined by a heated Middleweight title clash between champion Khamzat Chimaev and former titleholder Sean Strickland — a fight fueled by months of bad blood.
The co-main event brings another title bout, as Flyweight champion Joshua Van defends his belt for the first time against rising Japanese
contender Tatsuro Taira. Notably, it marks the first UFC title fight between two fighters born in the 2000s.
While the main event offers intriguing stylistic elements — including Chimaev’s elite wrestling against Strickland’s underrated defensive grappling — most of the attention has centered on the hostility between the two.
“Clowns always talk,” Chimaev said recently. “Bro, he hasn’t shot any chickens in the world, how is he going to shoot a human? I don’t think the guy wants a war outside the cage. If he wanted it, he’d be dead already. Bro, in New Jersey, this is a Muslim community, it’s my home, so I don’t think he’s going to come out with a gun there. Otherwise, there would be a lot of people in jail.”
Oddsmakers are siding heavily with the champion. Chimaev enters as a -535 favorite, while Strickland comes back at +400.
Get ready for a chaotic fight week — and an even wilder fight night.
For the latest UFC 328 fight card and rumors click here.
