UFC 328 builds steam as middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev and challenger Sean Strickland exchange heated words online. The event headlines at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on May 9, 2026. Chimaev captured the 185-pound belt with a unanimous decision over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 last August. Strickland held the title before that, dropping it in a split decision rematch to du Plessis at UFC 297.
“Control Your Whore” Strickland Dares Chimaev Pre-Fight
Strickland posted on X about UFC efforts to separate the camps. He wrote, “The @UFC is trying to limit my interactions with the dog. Listen I will say this now. I will not be controlled by a third world dog…. If I find there is unequal treatment between our camps I will walk to the lobby and wait for him. Control your whore or dont. I dont care. Let the chips fall where they may this is America…” He followed up, predicting handcuffs during fight week over threats from a “goat f—ker” who should not enter the country.
Days earlier, Strickland escalated in a media scrum. He said he would pull a gun from his shoe and shoot Chimaev plus his entourage if they approached with numbers. The former champion called Chimaev a terrorist linked to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Chimaev fired back that Strickland “wants war” and would already be dead. Later, Chimaev posted a photo of young Strickland with his father, captioning it, “You can cry that’s okay, your father made you a girl.”
Chimaev, born in Chechnya and now fighting for the UAE, trains in Russia for recent bouts. He boasts a wrestling background with three Swedish national titles before UFC dominance. Strickland, known for blunt talk, once faced microphone cutoff at a presser for “goat f—ker” remarks. Their path crossed indirectly through du Plessis, whom both fought. UFC added security for fight week given the tone.
The UFC 328 main card includes flyweight title bout Joshua Van versus Tatsuro Taira, heavyweight Alexander Volkov against Waldo Cortes-Acosta, welterweight Sean Brady versus Joaquin Buckley, and lightweight King Green facing Jeremy Stephens. Prelims feature bouts like Roman Kopylov versus Marco Tulio and Jim Miller against Jared Gordon.
Fans watch close as online jabs risk spilling over. Strickland vowed they “die enemies” post-fight, skipping handshakes. Chimaev’s camp downplayed talk while tension rises.
