During the event's post-fight press conference, Strickland revealed that he entered the championship bout injured. Four days prior to making the walk to the octagon, Strickland 'separated' his shoulder in training.

"You want to hear something funny? On Tuesday I'm sparring Johnny [Eblen], that motherf**ker, PFL champ ... He f**king shoots on me and I hit this brick-ass wall and I separated my shoulder," Strickland said.

"I had a Grade 1 separation AC joint separation on Tuesday and I remember lying in bed Tuesday night thinking ... And I'm laying there and I can't lay on my left side. I'm like, 'You're such a f**king idiot. You're such a f**king idiot.' So, in the back I normally like to get better warmups but I didn't want to warm up and throw my shoulder out. The entire time I'm like, 'You're a f**king moron.'"

Chimaev was heavily favored heading into the fight but Strickland didn't care what oddsmakers had to say. Leading up to the event, Strickland maintained that he had the style to hand "Borz" his first career defeat. It turned out he was right.

Most scoring the UFC 328 middleweight championship headliner had the bout even with each fighter winning two rounds heading into the final frame. The three cage-side judges had it scored the same after four rounds.

Two of the judges scored the fight for Strickland while one scored the bout for Chimaev resulting in a split decision win for the American. How did you have it scored?

UFC 328: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland Official Scorecard

The event took place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey in front of a sold-out crowd. Chimaev was heavily favored heading into the fight but Strickland was used to bring the underdog. The fight went the distance with Strickland narrowing winning via split decision on the scorecards. Check out the highlights.

UFC 328 Highlights: Chimaev vs. Strickland

UFC CEO Dana White announced the UFC 328 performance-based bonuses during the event's post-fight press conference. Fight of the Night honors went to the flyweight championship co-main event between titleholder Joshua Van and challenger Tatsuro Taira.

Veteran Jim Miller received a Performance of the Night bonus for his first round submission win over Jared Gordon on the preliminary card. The 42 year-old also inked a new five-fight contract with the fight promotion following the win.

The final Performance of the Night bonus went to Yaroslav Amosov for his second-round submission win over Joel Alvarez on the preliminary fight card. The arm-triangle choke finish banked him an $100,000 check.

17,783 spectators attended the event resulting in $7.5 million in record-setting gate receipts.

They used to train together but their relationship deteriorated into one of the biggest and most intense rivalries in the promotion's history. On Saturday, the two headlined the UFC 328 fight card at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey in a legitimate grudge match. Surpisingly, the two touched gloves twice during introductions.

Chimaev landed a kick to the body to start the fight. He pressed forward and easily took Strickland down. Strickland worked to stand. Chimaev stayed on him and drug him back to the canvas. Chimaev took Strickland's back. Strickland rolled and got to a knee. Chimaev took Strickland's back standing. Strickland dropped to the canvas. Chimaev wasn't inflicting damage but controlled position. Midway through the round, Strickland scrambled. Chimaev maintained control. He moved to the mount . Strickland rolled and was able to stand. Chimaev slammed him back to the canvas. Chimaev took Strickland's back. He worked for a rear-naked choke but Strickland defended the submission attempt. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Chimaev.

Strickland landed a right hand. Chimaev went to the body with a punch. Chimaev continued to target the body. Strickland connected with a counter right. They exchanged jabs and Strickland solowedup with a right. Chimaev changed levels and Strickland defended the takedown. Strickland gained top position. Chimaev avoided damage and Strickland stood. Strickland landed a right hand. He stuffed a takedown attempt. Strickland had top position. Strickland was unable to do damage but won the round. MMAWeekly scored the frame 10-9 for Strickland.

Chimaev inched forward to start the third. They exchanged jabs. Chimaev went to the body with a kick. He continued to target the body of Strickland. Strickland's jab began landing more often. Chimaev kept pressing forward. Strickland met him with a right. hand. Chimaev's jab came to life. Strickland began bleeding out of his nose. Chimaev connected with a right hand. It was a close round. MMAWeekly scored it 10-9 for Chimaev with output and forward pressure.

Chimaev landed his jab early in the fourth. He pressured Strickland while continuing to target the body. Chimaev connected with a clean right hand. Strickland's jab was his best weapon. Strickland connected with a left. Chimaev answered with a right. Chimaev began mixing in leg kicks. Chimaev changed levels and took Strickland down with just under a minute on the clock. Strickland got to a knee and worked to stand. Chimaev delivered left hands to the body. Strickland stood at the bell. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Chimaev.

They both took the center of the cage to start the final frame. Chimaev immediately secured a takedown. Strickland got to his feet quickly but Chimaev kept the pressure on along the cage. They battled for position before separating. Strickland went back to working his jab. Strickland connected with a right hand. Chimaev inched forward. Chimaev found a home with a right hand. Chimaev looked for a takedown with 80 seconds remaining. He briefly got it but Strickland battled back to his feet. They separated in the closing seconds. Strickland. landed a right hand. Chimaev responded with a big right hand. It went they distance.

The judges scored the fight for Strickland via split decision. The scorecards read 48-47, 47-48, and 48-47.

The event was headlined by a middleweight title fight between undefeated champion Khamzat Chimaev and former titleholder Sean Strickland.

UFC 328 Post-Fight Press Conference

The event is headlined by a middleweight title fight between undefeated champion Khamzat Chimaev and former titleholder Sean Strickland. ln the co-main event, flyweight champion Joshua Van takes on No. 3 ranked Tatsuro Taira.

UFC 328 Start Times

• Main Card begins at 9 p.m. ET
• Preliminary Card begins at 7 p.m. ET
• Early Prelim Card begins at 5 p.m. ET

UFC 328 Official Results

MAIN CARD (9 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

• Sean Strickland def. Khamzat Chimaev via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
• Joshua Van def. Tatsuro Taira via TKO (punches) at 1:32, Round 5
• Alexander Volkov def. Waldo Cortes-Acosta via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Sean Brady def. Joaquin Buckley via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-27)
• King Green def. Jeremy Stephens via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:20, Round 1

PRELIMINARY CARD (7 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

• Ateba Gautier def. Ozzy Diaz via KO (punches) at 1:10, Round 2
• Yaroslav Amosov def. Joel Alvarez via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 1:13, Round 2
• Grant Dawson def. Mateusz Rebecki via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:42, Round 3
• Jim Miller def. Jared Gordon via submission (guillotine choke) at 3:29, Round 1

PRELIMINARY CARD (5 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

• Roman Kopylov def. Marco Tulio via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Pat Sabatini def. William Gomis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Baisangur Susurkaev def. Djorden Santos via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:12, Round 3
• Jose Ochoa def. Clayton Carpenter via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Van captured the 125-pound championship in December, defeating Alexandre Pantoja after Pantoja suffered an injury. It wasn't the way "The Fearless" wanted to win the title and was out to leave no doubt that he's the best flyweight in the world.

Taira made the walk to the cage inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey ranked No. 3. and riding back-to-back wins. Taira's only career heading into Saturday was via split decision to former title challenger Brandon Royval.

Taira connect first with an outside leg kick. He changed levels and looked to take the champion down. He secured the takedown and immediately advanced to the mount with slightly more than four minutes remaining in the opening round. Van elevated Taira with butterflies but Taira moved to side control. Van worked his way back to his feet and they separated.

Van pressed forward and landed a combination Taira responded with a right hand. Van ichjed forward and landed a stiff jab. Taira changed levels and put Van on his back. Van used the fence to stand but Taira kept the pressure on and tripped Van to the canvas. He moved to the mount again. Van got to his feet at the bell. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Taira.

Van took the center of the octagon to start the second. He pressed forward. Taira landed his jab and changed levels. They worked for position along the cage. Taira delivered a knee to the body on the break. Van answered with a combination. Taira's hands were really low. Van connected with a clean right hand. Taira ducked under a punch and took Van down. He immediately moved to mount. At the midway mark Taira delivered punches to the body. Van created space with a butterfly guard. Taira remained in top position and moved back to mount. Van bucked his way back to half guard. Taira unable to inflict damage. He peppered Van with short right hands to the body. Van stood. Joe landed a right hand that dropped Taira. Taira was extremely hurt. Van looked to finish but Taira covered up. The round ended. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 of Van.

Van came out aggressive. He landed his jab. Tairia looked for a takedown but Van shook it off. Van connected with a combination on the inside. Taira's takedown attempts were from too far away. Van easily saw them coming. Van's jab continued to find a home. Van delivered a knee. Taira was just. Vana connected as Taira circled away. Van landed a right hand. Back-to-Back jabs put Taira down. Van followed him to the canvas. He took Taira's back and looked for a rear-naked choke. Van let him up. Taira's face was a bloody mess. Van went back to landing his jab. Taira worked for a takedown and got it in the closing seconds. Van got to his feet. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Van.

Taira landed a calf kick that caused Van to retreat. Taira pressed forward with punches and was met with a hard right hand. Taira changed levels and took Van down. Van went to butterfly guard and began creating space. Taira moved to the mount. Taira delivered a few left hands. Midway through the frame, Van reversed the position. Taira applied a triangle choke. Van escaped and they stood and exchanged jabs. Van connected with a combination. Van defended a takedown attempt but Taira kept the pressure on. They separated I the closing seconds. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Taira.

They touched gloves to start the final frame. Van inched forward and landed a right hand. Another right hand found a home for Van. Taira drove forward for a double leg. Van shook off the attempt. They exchanged in the pocket. Taira again looked for takedown. Van defended it. Van put together a combination that hurt Taira. He poured it on and Taira went to a knee. The referee stepped in to stop it after Taira turned his back.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:32 aaaof the fourth round.

Volkov entered the octagon at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey ranked No. 2 in the division and having won five of his last six bouts. He was coming off a win over Jailton Almeida and hoping to build on the momentum.

Cortes-Acosta made the walk to the octagon riding a three-fight winning streak and having won eight of his last nine fights. A win for either fighter would put them on a path to a title shot.

Volkov landed first with leg kicks. Cortes-Acosta walked forward and Volkov kept meeting him with leg kicks. Cortes-Acosta answered back with a leg kick. He pressed forward as Volkov circled on the outside. Cortes-Acosta rushed forward with a flurry but Volkov moved away. Volkov continued to deliver leg kicks. Cortes-Acosta had difficulty getting inside. he connected with a jab. Cortes-Acosta exploded forward with a left hand that landed. He seemed to have found his range in the final minute of the round. Cortes-Acosta landed a right hand. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Volkov but there was a momentum change at the end of the frame.

They met in the middle and Volkov delivered a kick to the body. Cortes-Acosta responded with a right hand. Volkov wasn't circling as much in the second round. Cortes-Acosta landed another right hand. Volkov continued to deliver leg kicks. They exchanged leg kicks and Volkov stepped into the pocket with a combination. Cortes-Acosta pressed forward and connected with a hard right hand. Volkov landed a counter left hand that hurt Cortes-Acosta. He moved in with a combination but Cortes-Acosta covered and circled free. Volkov began landing more often and mixing in body kicks. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Volkov.

Cortes-Acosta came out in the final frame the same as the first two, pressing forward. Volkov circled and delivered a kick to the body. Cortes-Acosta connected with a combination and then accidentally poked Volkov in the eye. The fight was restarted seconds later. Corttex-Acosta landed a combination when the fight restarted. He connected with a right hand. Volkov absorbed it. They exchanged jabs. Volkov began bleeding from the nose. Volkov looked to have slowed. Cortes-Acosta clinched with two minutes remaining. They separated and Volkov went to the body with a kick. Cortes-Acosta landed a stiff jab. Volkov responded with one of his own. Volkov continued to deliver leg kicks. They exchanged and Cortes-Acosta conceded with a right hand. Cortes-Acosta pressed forward with punches. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Cortes-Acosta.

The judges scored the fight for Volkov via unanimous decision. The scorecards read 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28.

Buckley entered the bout ranked No. 9 in the division. He had a six-fight winning streak snapped in his previous outing, losing to former champion Kamaru Usman. "New Mansa" was looking to rebound with a win over the higher ranked Brady.

Brady too was coming off a loss in his previous fight. Ranked No. 7 in the weight class, Brady looked to get back in the win column and potentially enter the Top 5 rankings.

Buckley ran t the center of the octagon. Brady stepped into the pocket with a left hand and clinched but Buckley quickly circled free. Buckley delivered a leg kick and Brady grabbed it and took the fight to the ground. Brady peppered Buckley with right hands from the half guard position. He advanced to the mount and hammered away with punches. Buckley covers up but could only block some of the shots. Buckley was stuck under Brady. Brady isolated an arm and looked for a kimura. He stepped over but Buckley defended the submission attempt.

Brady kept the pressure on from top position. Brady dominated the final three minutes of the frame. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Brady.

The second round started wild with a head kick and spinning back fist miss. It wasn't long before Brady secured a takedown with over four minutes left on the clock. Brady advanced to the month. Buckley was clearly outmatched on the ground. Brady delivered right hands. Buckley managed to literally buck his way back to his feet and fended off a takedown attempt. Brady kept the pressure on and put Buckley his back.

Brady again mounted Buckley. He posture dup and delivered punches. Buckley covers and blocked most of the shots. Brady began mixing in elbows and connected with them. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-8 for Brady.

Buckley pressed forward in the beginning of the final frame. Brady wasted little time before looking to get the fight to the canvas. He secured a single-leg with 4:20 showing on the clock. Brady moved to the mount began delivering punches. Buckley was thoroughly controlled and outclassed on the ground.

The judges scored the fight for Brady via unanimous decision. The scorecards read 30-25, 30-25, and 30-27.

The event is headlined by a middleweight title fight between undefeated champion Khamzat Chimaev and former titleholder Sean Strickland. ln the co-main event, flyweight champion Joshua Van takes on No. 3 ranked Tatsuro Taira.

UFC 328 Ceremonial Weigh-In Face-Offs

The event is headlined by a middleweight title fight between undefeated champion Khamzat Chimaev and former titleholder Sean Strickland. ln the co-main event, flyweight champion Joshua Van takes on No. 3 ranked Tatsuro Taira.

UFC 328 Ceremonial Weigh-In

The event takes place on June 14 at the White House. Lightweight champion Ilia Topuria puts his title on the line for the first time in the fight card’s main event against interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. In the co-main event, an interim heavyweight champion will be crowned between former two-division champion Alex Pereira and former interim titleholder Ciryl Gane.

UFC Freedom 250 Press Conference Face-Offs

Lightweight champion Ilia Topuria puts his title on the line for the first time in the fight card’s main event against interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. In the co-main event, an interim heavyweight champion will be crowned between former two-division champion Alex Pereira and former interim titleholder Ciryl Gane.

UFC Freedom 250 Press Conference

UFC 328 Main Event Weigh-In Video

UFC 328 Co-Main Event Weigh-In Video

The event is headlined by a middleweight title fight between champion Khamzat Chimaev and former titleholder Sean Strickland. ln the co-main event, flyweight champion Joshua Van takes on No. 3 ranked Tatsuro Taira.

On Friday, the fighters officially weighed in. Strickland was the first fighter to step on the scales and came in at 185 pounds. Chimaev was the final fighter to make it to the stage. He too weighed 185 pounds Van and Taira both weighed in at 125 pounds.

Never fazed 😤@SStricklandMMA is first to the scale & weighs in at 185lbs!

[ #UFC328 | May 9 | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/3XJAaiAt0h

— UFC (@ufc) May 8, 2026

Borz is ready to retain 🏆@KChimaev weighs in at 185lbs to make the main event OFFICIAL!

[ #UFC328 | May 9 | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/1668kSfY2l

— UFC (@ufc) May 8, 2026

UFC 328 Weigh-In Video

UFC 328 Official Weigh-In Results

MAIN CARD (9 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

MAIN CARD (9 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

• Khamzat Chimaev (185) vs. Sean Strickland (185)
• Joshua Van (125) vs. Tatsuro Taira (125)
• Alexander Volkov (257) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta (264)
• Sean Brady (170) vs. Joaquin Buckley (170)
• King Green (155) vs. Jeremy Stephens (160)*

PRELIMINARY CARD (7 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

• Ateba Gautier (185) vs. Ozzy Diaz (186)
• Joel Alvarez (170) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (170)
• Grant Dawson (156) vs. Mateusz Rebecki (156)
• Jim Miller (155) vs. Jared Gordon (156)

PRELIMINARY CARD (5 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

• Roman Kopylov (185) vs. Marco Tulio (186)
• Pat Sabatini (145) vs. William Gomis (145)
• Baisangur Susurkaev (186) vs. Djorden Santos (186)
• Clayton Carpenter (126) vs. Jose Ochoa (125)

*Jeremy Stephens missed weight by four pounds.

Ahead of Saturday night, the two men at the top of the billing have exchanged several wild comments, with concerning threats being pushed from both sides. Despite the remarks, Strickland insisted that, if any physical altercation were to unfold before the octagon door closed behind them, Chimaev would be to blame. With fight night fast approaching, that claim proved to be correct.

Throughout the press conference, Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland were at each other's throats. Verbal shots were traded, and tensions were high as they stepped forward for the UFC's customary face-offs. While fans of the sport have become accustomed to controversial moments during those face-offs, what unfolded on Wednesday may be a first for the company.

Not only did Chimaev land a kick on Strickland as the two traded barbs on stage, but he allegedly hit the California native in the nuts, according to Dana White.

"I think in the nuts," White said regarding the brief altercation that ensued between Chimaev and Strickland. "The security guy from that angle got in the way of the kick."

"I had his arms. I had Khamzat's arms, and I didn't think he'd kick him. I didn't think he was going to do anything. I thought it was going to be a lot of yelling back and forth, so, yeah. That is the most we will fail this whole weekend. That's the most we will fail."

Listen to Dana White's views on the encounter between UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev and his challenger Sean Strickland below.

Dana White just said Khamzat Chimaev kicked Sean Strickland in the nuts 😬

(via @Ninadrama) pic.twitter.com/IU9LZQRHKH

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) May 8, 2026

In the main event, undefeated middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev puts his belt on the line for the first time agains former titleholder and bitter rival Sean Strickland. ln the co-main event, flyweight champion Joshua Van takes on No. 3 ranked Tatsuro Taira.

During the face-offs, Chimaev and Strickland got heated. The champion kicked Strickland and the two had to be physically restrained by security.

UFC 328 Press Conference Face-Offs

WHO WILL RULE THE FLYWEIGHTS? 🏆@JoshuaVanBT vs @TatsuroTaira

[ #UFC328 | MAY 9 | 9pmET | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/P8MDS6JH4Z

— UFC (@ufc) May 7, 2026

THIS WAS INEVITABLE 👀@KChimaev vs @SStricklandMMA

[ #UFC328 | MAY 9 | 9pmET | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/Rm4OSEWSa7

— UFC (@ufc) May 7, 2026

All four championship fighters will field questions during the event's pre-fight press conference on Thursday at 5 p.m. ET.

UFC 328 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video

Chimaev headlines Saturday's UFC 328 fight card at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey against former titleholder and bitter rival Sean Strickland. It will be Chimaev's first title defense but he doesn't care about the belt.

Asked if being champion added a little more pressure during preparation, Chimaev answered, "I don't care about my belt. I don't need to be the champ in the gym. I have to be a normal guy working every day."

"I'm still the hunter," he said in a recent scrum. "I don't go after the belt. If I was going after the belt, I would finish my career. I already had the belt. I'm going for the money."

The UFC 328 championship main event will be the biggest payday of Chimaev's career. As far as his game plan, "Borz" kept it simple.

"My plan is just go there, beat them up and take the money and go home," he said.

Undefeated champion Khamzat Chimaev puts his title on the line for the first time against former titleholder Sean Strickland and heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall revealed who he thinks will win.

"I think this is going to be a good fight, first of all. I think Khmazat, to me, looks pretty unstoppable at the moment with his takedowns and stuff. His striking, obviously he's very dangerous with his striking as well," Aspinall said on his YouTube channel. "I think Sean Strickland probably has a little bit of an edge in the striking department, but Khamzat's grappling. I don't know if Sean Strickland will be able to get up off the bottom enough times .

"That being said, I know Sean's coach. I've actually trained with Sean a little bit as well, only a tiny bit, though. But I know a lot of people who are close to him and everyone keeps saying how good he is at getting up off the bottom. So, I think it's going to be real interesting," Aspinall continued.

"The big question for me is like, how many times can he get up off the bottom without getting caught in a submission without getting tired. Khamzat will just rinse and repeat for the full five rounds ... If Strickland can come through that, not be exhausted, which he's never shown any signs of that before in my opinion and put him on the end of that awkward style that he's got with striking and really unorthodox stand up, I think there's definitely a chance for Strickland. But in my option I'm leaning a little bit toward Khamzat."

When asked to pick a winner, the heavyweight champion went with Chimaev to retain the belt.

"The verdict is for me Khamzat by decision. I think," Aspinall said. "I think it will be a little more competitive than the DDP [Dricus Du Plessis] fight, but I think Khamzat by decision."

Lightweight champion Ilia Topuria puts his title on the line for the first time in the fight card's main event against interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. In the co-main event, an interim heavyweight champion will be crowned between former two-division champion Alex Pereira and former interim titleholder Ciryl Gane.

While on the White House grounds, the fighters faced off for the cameras.

HISTORY AWAITS@AlexPereiraUFC vs @Ciryl_Gane

[ #UFCWhiteHouse | JUNE 14 | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/tB5CDVvPSj

— UFC (@ufc) May 6, 2026

IT DOESN’T GET BIGGER THAN THIS@Topuriailia vs @Justin_Gaethje

[#UFCWhiteHouse | JUNE 14 | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/6Nm94FcOFY

— UFC (@ufc) May 6, 2026

WHERE THEY’LL MAKE HISTORY@Topuriailia vs @Justin_Gaethje @AlexPereiraUFC vs @Ciryl_Gane

[ #UFCWhiteHouse | JUNE 14 | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/GRDcaPnHlG

— UFC (@ufc) May 6, 2026

UFC Freedom 250 takes place on June 14 as part of the 250 anniversary celebration of the United States. The historic event coincides with President Trump's 80th birthday. It will be the second time the fight promotion has held an event outside. The Concert Arena at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi in 2010 was the first and only UFC event held t in an open-air arena.

Now 52 years old, fans remember the heights of Hughes' career inside the cage, who competed professionally for 13 years. Throughout his 54-fight career, 25 of those came within the UFC, where he is considered one of the greatest welterweights ever to grace the octagon. Wins over Georges St-Pierre, BJ Penn, and Royce Gracie, among many others, made for a successful tenure in the sport, which met its end with retirement in 2011.

However, after spending over a decade enduring the grueling work inside the gym to become the best fighter he possibly could and subsequently performing against the best in the world, spectated by millions, Matt Hughes' hardest battles would come after his fighting career.

Adding to a long list of troubles, Hughes has presented some unsettling news on social media. While in good spirits, the UFC legend shared a picture of himself lying in a hospital bed with the tip of his middle finger missing. Further details are yet to be released regarding the incident that required Hughes to have part of his finger amputated, but the Illinois native did lighten the mood with an amusing message to his fans.

"Luckily, God's been real good to me," Hughes said in a post on Instagram. "He left me nine more to work with."

View this post on Instagram

A partially amputated finger pales in comparison to what Matt Hughes has suffered.

On June 16, 2017, almost six years after he retired from combat sports, Hughes was severely injured when a train hit his pickup truck at a country crossing in his home state. The crash left Hughes in a 19-day coma with a severe traumatic brain injury.

As can be expected, the road to recovery was excruciating and has been described by Hughes as the toughest battle of his life. Since the near-fatal events, the UFC Hall of Famer has been regularly attending therapy, focusing on balance, coordination, and cognitive function, and in the aftermath of his most recent injury, more recuperating will be required.

The showcase set to take place on June 14, which will be the promotion's first and potentially final visit to the White House, flattered to deceive once the fight card was announced. Fans expected a lineup unlike ever before, and were disheartened upon its unveiling. Despite several current and former UFC champions and a further selection of title challengers scheduled to compete at the show next month, many supporters are still sitting on the fence, with mixed feelings.

However, some of those still undecided on the quality of Freedom 250 may now be swayed following a recent update.

Accompanying some of the biggest names in the sport today at the White House is an exclusive incentive for fighters. Sitting beside the event's biggest draws, Donald Trump announced a glistening new championship title. The new gold features a United States-inspired flag across its middle plate, with a set of Roman numerals sprawled below, honoring the USA's independence in 1776. Those involved did a great job capturing the true essence of America, even with its minimalistic design, as they prepare to celebrate the country's 250th birthday.

When the White House card rolls around, Ilia Topuria will be looking to continue his reign of terror, but must first overcome the always-entertaining hometown favorite, Justin Gaethje. Alex Pereira is hoping to make history by becoming a three-division UFC champion, while Ciryl Gane is desperate to put an end to the bad luck he has had in undisputed title fights.

Those eligible to win the unique USA-spirited title are the four men competing in the main and co-main events on the night. Check out what the new championship looks like below.

View this post on Instagram

UFC 328 takes place on May 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The event is headlined by a middleweight title fight between champion Khamzat Chimaev and former titleholder Sean Strickland.

UFC 328 Embedded - Episode 3

The feud between Strickland and Chimaev is escalating, forcing the UFC to take action. As the middleweight title clash draws near, the promotion has attempted to counter any unwanted confrontations by assigning extra law enforcement to fight week and the subsequent event on Saturday night.

Despite taking every precaution to make sure things go smoothly, Sean Strickland believes the company should be zeroing in on his opponent, Khamzat Chimaev. The former champion will collide with 'Borz' in hopes of recapturing his title at UFC 328, but feels Chimaev is capable of ruining his dreams before ever standing across the octagon from him.

"I think the security is pretty not necessary," Strickland said. "But it's like how much money is the UFC making and spending on this fight? Chimaev won't fight me. If he goes and gets one of his 10 friends to try to fight me, they're in line to lose a lot of f***ing money."

"This is again why we go back to Chimaev, and I say he doesn't have f***ing dignity. When in my life would you ever hear me say 'I'm going to jump you' or 'my friends are going to jump you' or 'my religion's going to jump you' or 'I'm going to do this.' It's like, dude, you just act like a f***ing coward. You're a dog. I would never say that. You think my fans would ever jump you? No, because my fans have f***ing dignity. They're f***ing men, unlike you. You third-world f***ing dog."

The tension between two of the UFC's best is approaching its boiling point.

Threats of being jumped, the involvement of a whole community of Muslims, and even a potential use of guns have been prevalent during the trash-talk exchanges. However, if something were to develop, Strickland trusts Chimaev would be to blame, initiating it from the background.

"He's not going to fight. When have you seen Chimaev do anything? He has his five boys do it. It's not for Chimaev. Chimaev's not going to do sh*t, dude," Strickland continued. "I'm a man with some dignity, so I would just be like, 'Hello Chimaev, see you on Saturday.' Him on the other hand, being a f***ing dog, would probably say something stupid and I would say, 'All right, Chimaev, let's go, you f***ing b*tch.' And he's going to run out that f***ing door and have all his little f***ing Chechen lackeys run in. Why? Because he's a f***ing dog."

With no intention to jeopardize the fight this weekend, all focus is on dethroning Khamzat Chimaev and reinstating himself as the UFC middleweight champion for Sean Strickland.

Though for Strickland, his main concern lies with his opponent's group, after being warned that Chimaev has an estimated 30 men by his side, riding into the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on May 9.

"I'm a grown as f***ing man," Strickland stated. "I'm a f***ing American. I don't roll around with a posse because I'm a scared little b*tch."

"I'll call Chimaev right now and we’ll go meet in the parking lot and guess what? I will be there alone. You’re going to be there with 30 f***ing guys because why? Even if in your heart, Chimaev, if you thought you’d beat me, you know there’s a chance that I f***ing drop you on that floor and I f***ing take your life."

"You know this, and that little coward inside you will never f***ing man up and fight me. You’ll go get your lackeys, you’ll go get your 30 Chechens, you’ll hide behind your religion. You’re just a soft motherf*cking man."

Former champion Dricus Du Plessis holds two wins over Strickland but was completely dominated by Chimaev when they fought. When asked about the matchup, Du Plessis cautioned not to overlook Strickland.

"It's a very interesting fight. I think Strickland has such a good chance. I think people are overlooking him in this fight, and that would be a big mistake," Du Plessis told Fight Forecast.

"I think Strickland, the first round is going to tell us so much about this fight. If Khamzat can, listen, I know that Khamzat is going to get him down. Like I said, I've taken Strickland down so many times. I know Khamzat's going to get him down, but you keep him there. That's going to be the question because Strickland's ability to get up, the technique he uses, the strength he has - He's a strong guy, a lot stronger than Khamzat on a physical level - is really good. I think he's going to surprise some people," Du Plessis continued.

"If Strickland gets up two or three times in that first round, or the first two, it's not going to get any easier with the sweat and the fatigue. Tying to keep a guy down that gets up uses a lot more energy than the guy getting up."

If Strickland can fend off the takedown attempts of Chimaev and get back to his feet when taken down, Du Plessis believes he'll regain the belt. If he can not, it'll be a long night with Chimaev successfully defending the title

"Once Khamzat has to fight Strickland's fight, I just don't think he has a chance. I mean, Khamzat throws, he hits hard. He kicks hard, but not scary hard. And he's kind of predictable. You can see the shots coming. And with a guy like Strickland, some of the best defense in the whole of MMA, you're not going to catch him with something, you know, if you don't set it up. And I don't think Khamzat has the skillset to set that knockout up."

"If Khamzat takes him down that first round and holds him down and Strickland can not get up, it's Khamzat's fight. That's it. But I do believe Strickland has every tool to not let that happen and maybe snatch that title away. It's going to be a very interesting fight. I think the first round is going to tell us how that fight is going to play out."

The two used to train together but a dispute in the gym has festered into a full-blown rivalry. Their fight week interaction has been limited by the organization. They're staying in two different hotels and extra security has been added.

Strickland has accused "Borz" of seeking out lesser training partners in the gym and mercilessly dominating them to feed his ego. On Tuesday, Chimaev released footage of a sparring session with Strickland. He captioned the video, "I am bullying weak people."

I am bullying weak people 😂 pic.twitter.com/dVVM3wTxpg

— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) May 5, 2026

The video was only 26 seconds long. The two have very different recollections of how their training sessions went. They'll settle their differences inside the octagon at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday. It will be Chimaev's first title defense.

Whittaker's predication carries a little added weight because he's shared the octagon with Chimaev. He was thoroughly dominated and left with his bottom row of teeth pushed in.

"The thing is, you can prepare and expect for things as much as you want, right? But all the preparation we did and stuff, it didn't, he was just better than the preparation," Whittaker told UFC on Paramount+. "You know, his ability to stick to you to control the positions to just move into another position once he got his hands on you was just next level. We also saw that with the Dricus [Du Plessis] fight.

"Dricus is a hard guy to hold down. He's a big, strong man and the way that he handled him and extended his cardio over five rounds and just kept making those adjustments efficiently, making those adjustments so he didn't gas himself early," continued Whittaker.

"The only shortcoming anyone could had seen before the Dricus fight would have been his cardio. You know, investing so heavily into his wrestling in round one and then slowing down in the later rounds, so for him to have closed that gap to make those adjustments. We prepped as well as anybody else can, and I'm sure Dricus prepped as well as anybody else could. It's just his level is to be respected. It is."

Strickland and Chimaev have trained together. Strickland has an idea of what he'll be facing on Saturday, but Whittaker doesn't think it's going to matter.

"He (Strickland) talks a big game. He almost convinces me that he can do it but having been in there with Chimaev, having seen what Chimaev can do once he gets his hands on you, and he will because he shoots from so far away and he commits wholeheartedly and he will get you to the mat. It's what happens after," said the former champion.

"Seeing that he has the cardio to be able to do that for five rounds as well, mate. It's gun to my head, Chimaev's going to run him over."

Pereira made his way to the pitcher's mound sporting the iconic pinstripe Yankees jersey with the No. 1 on the back. The 38 year-old managed to get the baseball all the way to the catcher in the air avoiding embarrassment.

Alex Pereira damn good first pitch pic.twitter.com/vyGn8rTjr1

— Madyson (@Majorleaguemadd) May 5, 2026

Thank you to former two-division @ufc Champion Alex Pereira for throwing out tonight's ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/kdKMd6OOue

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 5, 2026

Chama takeover in the Bronx 👊
@AlexPereiraUFC met up with the @Yankees to throw out tonight’s first pitch! pic.twitter.com/2fueJbLcZK

— UFC (@ufc) May 6, 2026

Pereira has the opportunity to become the first fighter to win belts in three UFC divisions when he takes on former interim titleholder Ciryl Gane in the UFC Freedom 250 fight card on June 14. The interim title bout serves as the fight card's co-main event on the White House lawn.

UFC 328 takes place on May 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The event is headlined by a middleweight title fight between champion Khamzat Chimaev and former titleholder Sean Strickland.

UFC 328 Embedded - Episode 2

"I'm just on route back from the eye hospital. I've had a scan and things are progressing f**king nicely, which I'm very happy about," Aspinall said in a video posted to his YouTube channel.

"They're saying pretty soon, things keep rolling in the right direction, I will be cleared for contact. I'm back in the gym. I am back training. No sparring just yet. But if things keep going the way they're going, we are back."

In his absence, the fight promotion opted to crown an interim champion until Aspinall can return. Gane faces former two-division champion Alex Pereira in the UFC Freedom 250 co-main event on June 14 at the White House. Aspinall awaits the winner.

"Everyone keeps asking when I'm going to fight. The obvious answer is the other two guys, Alex and Ciryl have to fight for the interim title. I'm obviously going to fight the winner. The UFC have told me that I'm fighting the winner," Aspinall said.

"First and foremost, I have to get my health right, which it's on the right track. I have to wait for that to be done and we fight the winner. Simple as that," continued the champion.

"The goal is get fighting again. Get healthy, get fighting, and we are on the way to both. So, I'm very happy with that ... I'm motivated and looking forward to getting back."

After she stepped away from fighting in 2009, Carano saw success in Hollywood, but eventually the roles dried up and she fell into an unhealthy depression. The 44 year-old put on excessive weight and was in a lot of ways spiraling. Then came the offer to return to the cage against "Rowdy."

"Everybody around me is just so happy that I'm healthy. I mean, I think I'm healthier now than I was when I was fighting," Carano told MVP UNCUT. "I kind of like to describe myself as a door opener. I open the door and then people just rush through. And that seems to be a theme in my life. I'm impressed with how far it's come. It's so surreal to be able to come back and participate once again. I think once you're a fighter, you're always a fighter. It never leaves you and it's always been in the back of my head."

Carano has said that having the opportunity to fight again may have 'saved her life.' She's now healthy, in shape, and has regained her fighting mindset.

"I was really not healthy. I was really sick. And I think in life you have a point where you can go left and you can completely give up on yourself and you can let all the stress in life and all the pain and just wear you down and you give up and get depressed and you let go. And there goes your body, there goes your mind, there goes your health," Carano said.

"I was there. And it's really hard to turn the corner and go the compete opposition way. I think my family and the people that care about me and the fans that care about me are just happy that I got this back under control. I'm healthy ... And I know I wouldn't have gone as deep into this health journey without this fight."

"I have an overwhelming good feeling about this," she said.

UFC 328 takes place on May 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The event is headlined by a middleweight title fight between champion Khamzat Chimaev and former titleholder Sean Strickland.

UFC 328 Embedded - Episode 1

The long-serving MMA veteran and former Bellator lightweight champion had his promotional debut outing scrapped after a brawl erupted ahead of his matchup in Miami, Florida. Pitbull was forced off the card by the company, though his scheduled opponent, Shahzaib Rind, was handed a new fight, which didn't sit well with the Brazilian.

However, Karate Combat believed Rind wasn't at fault for the incident and instead blamed the seasoned 40-year-old. The organization claimed Rind was inside the fighter hotel during the brawl, but Pitbull believes Karate Combat is covering for their champion, stating:

"They started throwing water at us during breakfast," Patricky Pitbull said. "It was me, Patricio, and our wives. Patricio asked them to stop, he said we were with our family, and they kept going. I stood up and threw a bottle of water at them. They ran off and I chased them. When we got outside, a brawl broke out, and I was the one who got hurt."

Patricky Pitbull accused Shahzaib Rind of orchestrating the attack and shared their proof.

Pitbull pointed the finger at Rind, insisting he knew what was going to occur, stating that 'King Khan' began filming before any of the altercation unfolded.

"They came throwing water and there were already people recording," Pitbull continued. "It was all set up."

In a follow-up post on social media, both Patricky and UFC ace Patricio Pitbull furthered their discontent with Karate Combat. In hopes of releasing the true sequence of events, the pair shared their version of the public clash.

"Guys, this promotion never had as many views as they're having now," the Pitbull brothers said in response to the brawl and subsequent fight cancellation on social media. "And purposefully, they hid some footage. And we decided to show them to you."

"As they're trying to manipulate the footage, we're showing our side and what they've left out. Only the truth. Watch it."

The video proceeds to show two men attacking the Pitbull brothers with water guns, as they're having breakfast with their wives, which aligns with their earlier claims.

Watch it below.

View this post on Instagram

UFC 328 Countdown previews the middleweight title clash.

UFC 328 Countdown: Strickland vs. Chimaev

The fight will be Van's first title defense. Taira will enter the match ranked No. 3 in the division and riding a two-fight winning streak.

UFC 328 takes place on May 6 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The event is headlined by a middleweight title bout between champion Khamzat Chimaev and former titleholder Sean Strickland.

UFC 328 Countdown: Van vs. Taira

"The Predator" returns to the cage on May 16 on the Most Valuable Promotion and Netflix promoted Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight card at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California against Philipe Lins. And in case people forgot, Ngannou plans to remind the world who he is.

"What do I want to achieve? I want to come back to he scene and then since it's been awhile, give a little bit of a reminder, you know, put some show and then remind people who is Francis Ngannou," he said on MVP Uncut.

Ngannou isn't sleeping on Lins. While the Brazilian may not be a household name, fighters know "Monstro" isn't an easy out for anyone.

"I will press and take an opportunity, but I will not run through him. I'm confident on this and that. And then I can put it this way, confident on the strategy, you know, because I can execute it because I've been training it and then being very sharp on it. It's more about my sharpness like how I'm going to be sharp on everything. That's one of the things I emphasize on and then therefore could be very aggressive," said Ngannou.

"I think he's a very well-rounded fighter. He's slick, not to be slept on. He's a complete fighter. He's a complete fighter. I mean, he has proven. He did good for himself. But I think the difference here is that he has to fight Francis Ngannou. And that's another story."

"I think things come full circle all the time. I've continued to work hard before getting the Jake Paul fight. Working hard got me the Jake Paul fight. I worked hard for the Jake Paul fight and I had some setbacks. I continued to work hard, got back in the winner's circle, performed again, and now we're here fighting on MVP again," Petty told TMZ Sports.

Perry returns to MMA on May 16 against the creator of the UFC 'BMF' title, Nate Diaz. The two clash on the Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix promoted Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight card. It's been five years since Perry fought under MMA rules. With a win, he'll be eyeing a Paul rematch.

"Jake has mentioned that he'd be interested in fighting Nate (in MMA) if Nate was able to be successful, but, you know, so I'm looking to go out May 16th, give it everything I've got, dominate and see if Jake goes running scared or if he wants to fight an MMA fight. Let's do it," said Perry.

UFC Perth Highlights: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Carlos Prates

Dariush came out aggressive stunning Salkilld early in the fight. Salkilld fired back and the two got into a fiery exchange that left Dariush on the canvas. Check out the UFC Perth co-main event highlights.

UFC Perth Highlights: Beneil Dariush vs. Quillan Salkilld

The event was headlined by a welterweight bout between former champion Jack Della Maddalena takes on No. 5 ranked Carlos.

UFC Perth Post-Fight Press Conference Video

Della Maddalena entered the bout looking to rebound from having an 18-fight winning streak snapped and losing the title to Islam Makhachev in his last fight. Prates made the walk to the octagon riding a two-fight winning streak and having won 13 of his last 14 fights.

They two did not touch gloves. Della Maddalena took the center of the cage and inched forward. Prates circle on the outside and delivered a leg kick. Maddalena went to the body with a right hand. Prates continued to invest in leg kicks. They exchanged jabs and Prates began moving forward. Della Maddalena doubled u on leg kicks and circled away. A right hand got through for Prates. Della Maddalena moved in the pocket with a combination. Prates connected with a combination followed by a knee. Della Maddalena secured a takedown late in the round. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Della Maddalena with the late takedown.

Maddalena pressure Prates to start the second frame. Prates leaped in with a knee that partially landed. Della Maddalena changed levels and took Prates down. Prates quickly got back to his feet and circled away. Prates landed a left hand. He worked behind his jab. Della Maddalena found a home with an uppercut and clinched. They separated and Maddalena pressed forward. Prates landed a knee on the incise. He stunned della Maddalena with a kick. Della Maddalena fired back with a right hand. Prates continued to deliver leg kick. Della Maddalena began limping. Prates stepped in with an elbow. A leg kick caused Della Maddalena to fall to the canvas at the bell. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Prates.

Prates was active to start the third. He connected with a combination. Della Maddalena worked to get the fight to the ground. Prates shook off the attempt. Della Maddalena began switching stances. He was cut from an elbow. Prates partially landed a head kick. Della Maddalena fell to the canvas but got right back up. Prates started to take over the fight. He connected with back-to-back left hands. A hard leg kick caused Della Maddalena to fall down. Prates followed him down and finished with a series of hammer fists on the ground. He systematically broke Della Maddalena down.

The official time of the stoppage was 3:17 of the third round.

In the fight card’s main event, former welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena takes on No. 5 ranked Carlos Prates. Refresh the page of the latest results.

UFC Perth Official Results

Main Card (Paramount+ at 7 a.m. ET)

• Carlos Prates def. Jack Della Maddalena via TKO at 3:17, Round 3

• Quillan Salkilld def. Beneil Dariush via TKO (punches) at 3:29, Round 1

• Steve Erceg def. Tim Elliott via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)

• Marwan Rahiki def. Ollie Schmid via TKO (punches) at 2:47, Round 1

• Brando Pericic def. Shamil Gaziev via KO (punch) at 1:16, Round 2

• Louie Sutherland def. Tai Tuivasa via unanimous decision  (30–26, 30–26, 30–26)

Preliminary Card (Paramount+ LIVE now)

• Cam Rowston def. Robert Bryczek via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)

• Junior Tafa def. Kevin Christian via first-round KO (2:42)

• Jacob Malkoun def. Gerald Meerschaert via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

• Colby Thicknesse def. Vince Morales via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

• Wes Schultz def. Ben Johnston via submission (guillotine) (R3, 1:50)

• Jonathan Micallef def. Themba Gorimbo via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

• Kody Steele def. Dom Mar Fan via submission (heel hook) (R1, 3:56)

In the fight card’s main event, former welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena takes on No. 5 ranked Carlos Prates. 

UFC Perth Final Face-Offs Video

In the fight card’s main event, former welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena takes on No. 5 ranked Carlos Prates. 

UFC Perth Ceremonial Weigh-In Video

In the fight card's main event, former welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena takes on No. 5 ranked Carlos Prates. Both fighters officially came in at 170 pounds.

UFC Perth Official Weigh-in Results

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 7 a.m. ET)

• Jack Della Maddalena (170) vs. Carlos Prates (170)
• Beneil Dariush (156) vs. Quillan Salkilld (156)
• Tim Elliott (126) vs. Steve Erceg (125.5)
• Marwan Rahiki (146) vs. Oliver Schmid (145.5)
• Shamil Gaziev (264) vs. Brando Pericic (265)
• Louie Sutherland (261) vs. Tai Tuivasa (265)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 4 a.m. ET)

• Robert Bryczek (186) vs. Cam Rowston (185)
• Kevin Christian (204) vs. Junior Tafa (205.5)
• Jacob Malkoun (186) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (190)*
• Vince Morales (136) vs. Colby Thicknesse (135)
• Ben Johnston (185.5) vs. Wes Schultz (186)
• Themba Gorimbo (171) vs. Jonathan Micallef (170)
• DomMar Fan (155.5) vs. Kody Steele (156)

*Gerald Meerschaert missed weight by four pounds and was fined 30 percent of his purse.

The two have known each other for nearly two decades. They worked out together while the older Rousey was preparing for the Olympic Games and as Rousey describes it, they have a complex relationship.

"Me and Kayla have like a kind of a complicated relationship in that like she came to live in the same house I was and train with us. Like, she had been like sexually abused by her coach for like most of her life like starting at eight to like when it came out and she was like 17, right?

"So, she comes out and she's just been failed by every single adult in her life, you know, and severely traumatized by some real f**ked up sh*t. And so when she moved into the house, I mean, she was going through like a straight-up mental health crisis," Rousey said on her YouTube channel.

"And I don't think anything that went down then ever deserves to be under public scrutiny, you know, but like when she was going through it, I unwillingly was going through it with her. And so I wish her the absolute best in life and all of the success and all the things just like over there. You know, I just, I wish her the best. I just don't want to be involved, you know?"

Rousey returns to the cage on May 16 against fellow women's MMA pioneer Gina Carano in the headlining bout of Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix's first mixed marital arts event. Harrison recently took a swipe at the matchup and Rousey doesn't think Harrison is seeing the broader picture.

"Then she's like coming and talking sh*t about me and Gina. I'm like, dude, we're doing nothing but help you. We've done nothing but help you. And like, I literally have like a vested interest in like developing the heavier divisions. She says she can't make weight in her division anymore. It's taken years off of her life, all this stuff. And it's like, help me help you," said Rousey.

"Who do you think would promote you at 145? F**king me. Who do you think would help you get paid? F**king me. Who do you think is helping you get paid more in the UFC now because you have someone to give you a competing offer?

"You know, like just I'm trying to feed you. Stop biting my f**king hand. Like, I'm trying to help you out, man ... But she's kind of like my brat little sister in a way where I'm just like, don't come for me. Okay? Momma's working. I'm going to have to give you a learning if you're going to want to f**king start some sh*t."

"I don't know. We'll see what's going to happen over there. For me, the same sh*t," Chimaev said in a scrum interview on Thursday. "Clowns always talk. He's not going to be a clown if he's quiet."

"Bro, he didn't shoot any chickens in the world, bro. How is he going to shoot the human," Chimaev continued. "I don't know. I don't think so. The guy wants a real war outside of the cage. So, if he wanted, he'd be dead already."

The two used to train together but have very different recollections of how those training sessions went. Strickland considers Chimaev a bully who beat up on lesser training partners. Chimaev claims to have had his way with "Tarzan" and expects the same to happen in the UFC 328 main event.

"He never had success with me. So, it's not going to be different this time as well. I was fighting 170 that time. So imagine I beat him on that weight and was cutting the weight and at that time I beat him. So, right now, people know how big I am, how hungry I am. So, it's good meat. I like white American chicken," said Chimaev. "My plan is just go there, beat him up, take the money and go home."

UFC 328: Chimaev vs. Strickland takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on May 9. It will be Chimaev's first title defense land the 12th time the fight promotion has held an event in Newark.