The UFC has taken the unusual step of implementing special security protocols
In Newark on a Saturday night, two fighters who genuinely dislike one another will enter a cage to settle something that began long before any contract was signed. Khamzat Chimaev, undefeated and heavily favored, defends his middleweight title against Sean Strickland in a bout so charged with real animosity that the UFC has deployed special security measures. Unlike most marquee events, the card requires no pay-per-view purchase — only a streaming subscription or a free trial to witness what the betting markets have already called, but the human element has not.
- The tension between Chimaev and Strickland is not promotional theater — it erupted in a real gym confrontation and has since hardened into something the UFC felt required extraordinary security protocols.
- Chimaev enters the Prudential Center in Newark as a -600 favorite, his perfect 15-0 record casting a long shadow over Strickland's +425 underdog odds.
- The card unfolds across an entire evening, from early prelims at 5 p.m. Eastern through a 9 p.m. main event, giving the tension hours to build before it finally breaks.
- Unusually for a numbered UFC event, no pay-per-view fee stands between fans and the fight — Paramount+ carries the full card for $8.99 a month, or free through a Walmart+ 30-day trial.
- The outcome remains genuinely open: whether personal hatred sharpens a fighter or clouds his judgment is a question the octagon, not the oddsmakers, will answer.
Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland arrive at Saturday's main event in Newark carrying something rarer than manufactured rivalry — actual animosity, born from a training session confrontation that has only hardened with time. Each man has accused the other of aggression outside the cage, and the UFC has responded by putting special security measures in place, a quiet acknowledgment that the bad blood is real.
Chimaev, fighting out of the Emirates with a perfect 15-0 record, puts his middleweight championship on the line against Strickland, an American with 30 wins and the kind of experience that makes him dangerous even as a heavy underdog. The bout is scheduled for five rounds at the Prudential Center, following last month's UFC 327, where Carlos Ulberg claimed the light heavyweight title in April.
The evening begins at 5 p.m. Eastern with early prelims, moves into preliminary bouts at 7 p.m., and reaches the main card at 9 p.m. — 6 p.m. for those watching from the West Coast. Notably, the entire event is available on Paramount+ without a pay-per-view surcharge, at $8.99 per month. Those unwilling to subscribe can access it through a Walmart+ 30-day free trial, which bundles Paramount+ alongside delivery perks, fuel discounts, and other benefits.
The betting markets have spoken clearly: Chimaev at -600, Strickland at +425. Whether the personal dimension of their conflict reshapes what the odds have already decided is the one question Newark will answer that no spreadsheet can.
Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland will meet in the octagon on Saturday night in Newark, and the animosity between them is not manufactured for television. The two fighters clashed during a training session, and the tension has only deepened since—each accusing the other of bullying and aggression outside the cage. The UFC has taken the unusual step of implementing special security protocols to prevent any incidents before or after their bout, a sign that the organization takes the bad blood seriously.
Chimaev, an Emirati fighter with a perfect 15-0 record, will be defending his middleweight championship against Strickland, an American with a 30-7 record. The main event is scheduled for five rounds and represents the kind of high-stakes matchup that defines a card. It arrives on the heels of UFC 327 in April, when Carlos Ulberg defeated Jiri Prochazka to claim the light heavyweight title. Now the promotion moves north to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, for what promises to be a combustible evening.
The card begins early. Early prelims start at 5 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday, May 9, with the preliminary fights following at 7 p.m. The main card, where Chimaev and Strickland will finally settle their dispute, begins at 9 p.m. Eastern. For those on the West Coast, that translates to 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m. Pacific time respectively.
Unlike many marquee UFC events, UFC 328 is not a pay-per-view offering. The entire card will be available to stream on Paramount+, which removes one significant barrier to entry. A subscription to Paramount+ Essential costs $8.99 per month and includes access to all UFC events, numbered cards and fight nights alike. But there is a workaround for those unwilling to commit to a monthly subscription: Walmart+ currently offers a 30-day free trial that includes Paramount+ as a bundled benefit. That trial period would cover the event entirely, and subscribers would also gain access to Walmart+'s other perks—free and fast delivery, fuel discounts at various stations, early access to sales, and deals at Burger King.
The oddsmakers have rendered their judgment on the main event. Chimaev enters as a heavy favorite, with a moneyline of -600 at BetMGM, meaning a bettor would need to risk $600 to win $100. Strickland, despite his experience and his 30 wins, is positioned as a clear underdog at +425, meaning a $100 bet would return $425 if he prevails. Whether the personal animosity will affect the outcome, or whether it is simply the narrative surrounding what is fundamentally a mismatch in the betting markets, remains to be seen. What is certain is that Saturday night in Newark will provide an answer.
Citas Notables
Both have been guilty of escalating the rivalry with accusations of bullying and violence outside of the octagon— UFC reporting on Chimaev-Strickland tension
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does the UFC care enough about this fight to bring in extra security? Are they worried about a real incident?
The gym confrontation was real—these two actually had a physical altercation during training. When fighters start accusing each other of bullying and violence outside the cage, the organization has to take it seriously. A brawl before or after the bout would be a nightmare for them.
So this isn't just hype, then. They actually dislike each other.
It appears to be genuine. You can manufacture rivalry in MMA, but you can't manufacture a gym fight. The fact that the UFC felt compelled to implement special arrangements suggests they believe the tension is real enough to pose a security risk.
Chimaev is undefeated and heavily favored. Does Strickland have any realistic path to winning?
On paper, no. Chimaev is 15-0 and the defending champion. Strickland is 30-7, which is a solid record, but the betting odds reflect a significant skill gap. The question isn't whether Strickland can win—it's whether the personal animosity might affect Chimaev's focus or composure in the cage.
And the streaming situation—is this actually free, or is there a catch?
It's genuinely not pay-per-view, which is unusual for a title defense. Paramount+ has it, and yes, you can access it free through a Walmart+ trial. The catch is that you have to sign up for something, but if you're willing to do that, you can watch the entire card without paying for UFC specifically.