The main event of UFC 328 will see middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev make his first title defense against former champion Sean Strickland, taking place Saturday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Chimaev enters the bout as a heavy favorite, with odds moving from -525 to -550 at BetMGM by Friday. Public betting has been fairly split—51% of bets backed Chimaev, while Strickland, listed at +400, drew 89% of total wagers.
During the traditional ceremonial faceoff Thursday evening, Chimaev (15-0 MMA) kicked Strickland (30-7 MMA) in the leg, leading security to separate both fighters. The incident capped a tense and chaotic buildup to the fight. UFC CEO Dana White described the rivalry as one of the top three in the promotion’s history, citing genuine bad blood.
Chimaev comes into the fight with four submission wins across nine UFC appearances. Strickland earned his title shot by defeating Anthony Hernandez via third-round TKO at UFC Houston in February. This five-round championship bout marks Chimaev’s first title defense, while Strickland looks to reclaim the belt he lost to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in January 2024.
The co-main event features a re-booked flyweight title fight between Joshua Van and Tatsuro Taira. The matchup was originally scheduled for UFC 327 in Miami last month but was postponed due to a minor undisclosed injury suffered by Van.
Van (16-2 MMA) became the UFC flyweight champion at UFC 323 in December when defending champion Alexandre Pantoja suffered an arm injury just 26 seconds into the bout. Van is the first UFC champion born in the 21st century, while Taira (18-1 MMA) aims to become the first champion from Japan, facing Van, who hails from Myanmar.
Taira opened as a -175 favorite but has seen odds shift to -160. He has received 52% of the fight money, while Van, at +135, has attracted 61% of the total bets.
The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
**OTHER MAIN CARD FIGHTS**
– **Alexander Volkov (39-11) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta (17-2), heavyweight:** Volkov opened as a -190 favorite but has seen light backing with 33% of total bets and 44% of the money. Cortes-Acosta’s odds have moved from +155 to +125, making this one of the most competitive matchups on the card.
– **Sean Brady (18-2) vs. Joaquin Buckley (21-7), welterweight:** Both highly ranked contenders enter following losses—Brady fell to Michael Morales, and Buckley lost to 38-year-old Kamaru Usman. Buckley has been a popular underdog, drawing 73% of total bets and 70% of the money, with odds shifting from +155 to +140. Brady is now -170 after opening as a -185 favorite.
– **King Green (34-17-1) vs. Jeremy Stephens (29-22), lightweight:** Stephens failed to make weight, coming in at 160 pounds. This is his second miss at 145 pounds; Stephens has not won a UFC fight in eight years. After a 1-2 stint in the PFL, he returned to lose to Mason Jones last year and will now face a 30% pay reduction for Saturday’s fight. Both fighters are 39, but Green enters on wins over Lance Gibson Jr. and an upset of Daniel Zellhuber. Green is one of the heaviest favorites on the card at -400, backed by 62% of the money, while Stephens’ +310 underdog odds have drawn 72% of total bets.
