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Former champion Sean Strickland often finds his name in the headlines of the combat sports world. And more often than not, it is about what Strickland says about his personal life.
But Strickland will get the opportunity to once again be the king of the UFC middleweight division in May when he challenges for the title.
UFC officially announced Khamzat Chimaev defending his UFC middleweight championship against Strickland in the main event of UFC 328. The card takes place Saturday, May 9 from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, airing live on Paramount+.
Strickland, a 35-year-old from California, won the title for the first time in 2023 when he bested Israel Adesanya at UFC 293. He lost it in his first title defense to Dricus du Plessis, and was bested once more by du Plessis when he got a rematch in 2025.
After the loss to du Plessis, Strickland bounced back in a big way, knocking out Anthony Hernandez in the main event of UFC Fight Night in February. He is 30-7 overall with 14 career knockouts and four wins by submission.
Chimaev, a 31-year-old from Russia, claimed the middleweight title with a five-round decision over du Plessis in August at UFC 319. He also owns wins over former champions Robert Whittaker and Kamaru Usman, sporting a perfect 15-0 record in his career.
Heavyweights Earn Co-Main Event Slot
Heavyweights Alexander Volkov and Waldo Cortes-Acosta will be in the co-main event for the card, as Sean Brady and Joaquin Buckley square off in a welterweight contest.
Volkov holds a record of 39-11 including wins over Sergei Pavlovich, Tai Tuivasa and Alexander Romanov. His opponent, Cortes Acosta, is 17-2 and has finished Derrick Lewis and Ante Delija.
Other announced fights include Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov, Ateba Gautier vs. Ozzy Diaz and King Green vs. Jeremy Stephens. Green and Stephens own 62 career MMA wins.
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