標籤: Chimaev

Dustin Poirier believes Khamzat Chimaev’s status in the middleweight division took a meaningful hit at UFC 328 in Newark on Saturday night, and he believes whoever faces Chimaev next will walk away with less psychological damage than previous opponents.

Speaking on UFC on Paramount+ after the show, Poirier also took direct aim at the post-fight moment between Chimaev and Sean Strickland, suggesting that the reconciliation revealed some uneasiness about the entire buildup.

“In the next fight, no matter who he faces, it will be hard to scare him because his aura has been damaged this week,” Poirier said. “With the back-and-forth, I thought it was real. I think it affected his whole aura this week. And putting the belt on Strickland — like, come on, man. He definitely worked for us.”

Poirier’s point lies in the fact that Chimaev created a unique figure in the sport. The undefeated record was an important part of his mystique, but there was also a sense of danger that surrounded him in preparation for every fight.

The conversation between Strickland and Chimaev before UFC 328 turned into some of the harshest pre-fight trash talk in recent memory, touching on religion, ethnicity, and physical threats, which made the confrontation truly unsettling.

In Poirier’s view, Chimaev’s willingness to make peace with Strickland immediately after the final bell rang, diminished the authenticity of everything that preceded it. The entire fight was competitive. All three judges scored the contest two rounds each and the fifth round before two of them awarded the fight to Strickland in the final round and by split decision, giving Chimaev the first loss of his MMA career and stripping him of the middleweight championship.

Whether Chimaev gets an immediate rematch or Strickland defends against another challenger has not yet been confirmed by the UFC.

In the main event of UFC 328, the middleweight strap was on the line when Khamzat Chimaev defended the gold for the first time against former champion Sean Strickland. For five rounds, the pair of star 185ers went back and forth in a battle of attrition.

However, when the scorecards were read, Strickland won by split decision. Handing the Chechen the first defeat of his career. Let’s see where both land in our brand new UFC middleweight rankings after UFC 328.

10. Robert Whittaker (26-9)

Robert Whittaker will go down as one of the greatest UFC middleweights of all time. He is a former champion who holds numerous division records and has taken part in some of the best battles of all time. Unfortunately, the Australian has a lot of fight miles on his body, and it has taken its toll in recent years.

He is 3-4 in his last seven, the most recent of which was a tough split decision loss to former ONE star Rainier de Ridder. This setback probably puts an end to any thoughts of fighting for middleweight gold again before his UFC career is over.

9. Reinier de Ridder (21-4)

Reinier de Ridder was a hidden gem in MMA as he rose to fame during impressive performances in ONE Championship, winning titles in two divisions. While some doubted how good he could be in the sport’s top promotion, he calmed those concerns with four major wins inside the Octagon, including a decision victory over division veteran Robert Whittaker.

However, when swimming in top 10 waters, the shark is always around the corner, and RDR has found it quickly. After going 4-0 to start his UFC run, De Ridder has lost two consecutive bouts, the most recent being a decision loss to Caio Oralho.

8. Joe Pfeifer (16-3)

Since earning a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022, Joe Pfeiffer has been a budding problem at 185 pounds. If not for his loss to Jack Hermansson in 2024, he might have already fought for middleweight gold.

However, in March, he scored the biggest win of his life when he got a TKO victory against weight class veteran Israel Adesanya. This was his fourth consecutive W and landed him in our top 10 for the first time.

7. Brendan Allen (26-7)

Brendan Allen was fired up and looking set for a title shot after seven consecutive wins. However, he was given a schedule against the best at 185, and suffered tough losses to Anthony Hernandez and Nasourdin Imov.

However, he has come roaring back ever since. At UFC 318, he scored a hard-fought victory over former title challenger Marvin Vettori. Then at UFC Vancouver, he submitted to red-hot Reinier de Ridder because he couldn’t match his cardio output. Now it is on the verge of reaching the American top five.

6. Anthony Hernandez (15-3)

Anthony Hernandez has quietly become one of the best middleweights in the world. After losing two of his first three and being on the brink of being cut, “Fluffy” rattled off eight consecutive wins, including over Brendan Allen and Roman Dolidze.

His toughest test to date came in February when he faced former division king Sean Strickland. Unfortunately, the former champ completely shut down his wrestling game and laid him to the ground. This is the second knockout defeat of his career. Although he has broken into our top 10, he still remains a tough contender for even the best in the division.

5. Caio Boralho (18-1)

During his six years in the organization, Caio Borralho has gone from a prospect earning a contract in the Contender Series to one of the best middleweights in the world. Posting a record of 8-1 inside the Octagon.

After suffering his first loss in the promotion to Nasourdin Imavov last year, the Brazilian scored a nice bounce-back victory by defeating fellow top-10 fighter Reinier de Ridder at UFC 326.

4. Nasourdin Imavov (16-4)

Nasourdin Imavov has been coming off a very poor run over the past year, which makes him fully deserving of a title opportunity in his next fight. He is undefeated in his last five fights and has wins over several top-10 fighters, including middleweight veteran Israel Adesanya. In September, he got another main event opportunity and defeated fastest rising star Caio Boralho. Arguably, this was his most impressive victory to date.

3.Drics du Plessis (23-3)

Dricas du Plessis has put South African MMA on the map during his career in the UFC. The middleweight star has been victorious in every one of his UFC fights and has defeated champions and veterans on his way to becoming a pound-for-pound fighter. However, he got his match in Chimaev at UFC 319. After dominating “Borz”, the former champion may have to win a fight or two to get another shot at the belt.

2. Khamzat Chimaev (15-1)

Khamzat Chimaev trains to the top of the mountain after a dominant race in the Octagon. “Borz” has become one of the most popular stars in the sport, but he got his chance at UFC 319 to prove he is one of the best. And he did so impressively against Darius du Plessis to become UFC champion.

However, staying on top of the mountain is the hardest thing, and in his first title defense, the Chimaev era came to a stunning end at UFC 328 when Sean Strickland scored an upset victory in a split-decision.

1. Sean Strickland (31-7) – Champion

Wildman Sean Strickland may not be the brightest fighter in UFC middleweight history, but he has consistently proven to be a tough test for the world’s best, which is why he proved many doubters wrong by winning UFC gold in 2023.

While he lost in his first defense two years ago, “Tarzan” battled back for a title opportunity at UFC 328 in May, and shocked the MMA world when he ended Khamzat Chimaev’s dominance to become a two-time UFC middleweight champion.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

On Saturday night, the action continues on the East Coast as the premier MMA promotion presents UFC 328.

The card is scheduled to take place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. UFC 328 will be headlined by a 185-pound championship fight when UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev (15-0) makes his first title defense against Sean Strickland (30-7). The undefeated Russian is looking for another impressive fight in what could be his final fight at middleweight.

In the co-main event, UFC flyweight champion Joshua Wan (16-2) will take on Tatsuro Taira (18-1). After an unexpected result in his last outing, “The Fearless” aims to prove his case as the 125-pound kingpin against a dangerous top-contender in Taira.

Below, you can see all the UFC 328 results and post-fight highlights.

UFC 328 results (early prelims)

Clayton Carpenter (+150) vs. Jose Ochoa (-180)

Baisangur Susurkaev (-700) vs. Jordan Santos (+500)

Pat Sabatini (-170) vs. William Gomis (+140)

Roman Kopylov (+155) vs. Marco Tullio (-185)

UFC 328 results (preliminaries)

Jim Miller (+230) vs. Jared Gordon (-280)

Grant Dawson (-150) vs. Mateusz Rebecki (+125)

Joel Alvarez (+150) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (-180)

Ateba Gautier (-1100) vs. Ozzie Diaz (+700)

UFC 328 results (main card)

King Green (-450) vs. Jeremy Stephens (+350)

Sean Brady (-170) vs. Joaquin Buckley (+145)

Alexander Volkov (-140) vs. Waldo Cortes Acosta (+120)

Joshua Wan (+135) vs. Tatsuro Taira (-160)

Khamzat Chimaev (-500) vs. Sean Strickland (+375)

Born and raised in New York City, Jimmy Robles received a journalism degree from Queens College in 2017. Before… More About Jimmy Robles

On Saturday night, the MMA world leaders return to Paramount+ for their latest mega event, UFC 328. The card inside New Jersey’s Prudential Center will feature 13 fights and a pair of championship matchups.

In the main event, middleweight king Khamzat Chimaev defends his title for the first time when he faces the challenge of former champion Sean Strickland. In the co-headlining, new UFC flyweight champion Joshua Vann takes on the challenge of top contender Tatsuro Taira.

Bookies will have a lot of bets for Saturday’s matches. But which has the best chance of a big payout? We look at six potential upsets at UFC 328 to waste your hard-earned money.

Jeremy Stephens defeats King Green

One bout that has Fight of the Night potential is the bout between MMA greybeards King Green and Jeremy Stephens. With both men turning 40 this year, they are far from their prime, and have a combined 39 losses on their cage fighting resumes. That means this fight is completely unpredictable and can go either way.

Green is a big favorite among bookmakers for good reason. Stephens has not won an MMA fight in four years, and Green is on a two-fight win streak. However, they both have a lot of fight on their chin. However, “Lil Heathen” still has reset-button power in his hands, which could be a problem for weak chins.

Green will outlast Stephens, but there is a huge risk of pressing the restart button.

Jim Miller defeated Jared Gordon

UFC 328 features a matchup of tri-state graybeards when 42-year-old Jim Miller takes on 37-year-old Jared Gordon. New York native Gordon is a solid favorite as his New Jersey opponent is trying to squeeze whatever is left out of his body as a professional athlete.

Miller’s win over Damon Jackson in 2024 shows he is still dangerous. And only eight of Gordon’s 21 wins being knockouts is another big plus for Miller’s aging chin. Although he may struggle in Round 1, hopefully Miller will ultimately use his wrestling and pull off an upset victory in front of his home state fans.

Roman Kopylov defeated Marco Tullio Silva

Roman Kopylov is a sleeper underdog to keep an eye on at UFC 328. He has lost his last two and faces a dangerous striker in Marco Tullio Silva, who had scored four consecutive KO wins before a surprise defeat in November. Also, Silva is four years younger.

However, the devil is in the details, and Kopylov’s defeat came against high-level competition in Gregory Rodriguez and Paulo Costa. The Russian is also a very skilled striker with legitimate knockout talent. Look for him to use it and get back in the win column on Saturday.

William Gomis defeated Pat Sabbatini

Talented wrestler Pat Sabbatini returns to action at UFC 328 on Saturday and is the heavy favorite against France’s William Gomis. We all know how Western European talent struggles with wrestlers and maybe that’s why the Americans are the favorites.

However, Sabbatini will turn 36 later this year, and age catches up quickly on fighters, especially in the lower weight classes. Gomis is a skilled striker and good athlete who will do enough to avoid takedowns and earn a decision victory in New Jersey.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta defeated Alexander Volkov

One of the bigger bouts at UFC 328 – in terms of relevance and sheer size – is the heavyweight bout between top contender Alexander Volkov and red-hot Dominican Waldo Cortes-Acosta. A case could be made that the winner should be next in line for a title fight if Tom Aspinall doesn’t yet have his sights set on a return in the fall.

Volkov’s height is always a big problem for his opponents and he knows how to use it well. However, Cortes-Acosta is a slight underdog as he has scored three consecutive KO wins and is a much better athlete than he looks. Volkov should win due to his length and experience, but we are seeing an upset due to “Salsa Boy’s” speed and athleticism advantages.

Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev

All eyes will be on Saturday’s main event bout between Strickland and Chimaev at UFC 328 as they present huge tests for each other. Can the American be the first to slow down and stop Chimaev’s wrestling attack? What will he do if “Borz” can’t wrestle to victory and has to go into the deep end of the pool with the guy who has the best gas tank in the division?

What’s interesting about this matchup is that they have trained together, so Strickland has a feel for Chimaev’s strengths and techniques. This is a huge benefit for him. Don’t be surprised if the former champion loses the first three rounds, but his gas tank and output turned the tide in the second half of the fight, and he ultimately overpowered Chimaev to score a shocking TKO victory in the fifth round.

Chimaev is a big favorite and should win, but there are some unique elements to this fight that make it a worthwhile risk to bet against him.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

On Saturday night, the MMA world leaders return to Paramount+ with a new UFC Fight Night card, headlined by a huge matchup at middleweight. In the main event of the evening, former 185-pound champion Sean Strickland battles red-hot contender Anthony Hernandez to move one step closer to a title shot later this year.

In the end, the one-time titlist’s striking game was too much for “Fluffy” and he earned his first finish in more than two and a half years. Let’s take a look at how Strickland’s win at UFC Fight Night Houston changed our latest UFC middleweight rankings.

10. Robert Whittaker (26-9)

Robert Whittaker will go down as one of the greatest UFC middleweights of all time. He is a former champion who holds numerous division records and has taken part in some of the best battles of all time. Unfortunately, the Australian has a lot of fight miles on his body, and it has taken its toll in recent years.

He is 3-4 in his last seven, the most recent of which was a tough split decision loss to former ONE star Rainier de Ridder. This setback probably puts an end to any thoughts of fighting for middleweight gold again before his UFC career is over.

9. Reinier de Ridder (21-3)

Reinier de Ridder was a hidden gem in MMA as he rose to fame during impressive performances in ONE Championship, winning titles in two divisions. While some doubted how good he could be in the sport’s top promotion, he calmed those concerns with four major wins inside the Octagon, including a decision victory over division veteran Robert Whittaker.

However, when swimming in top 10 waters, sharks are always around the corner, and that was the case at UFC Vancouver. Although he looked good early on, the Dutch fighter’s grappling talent was overtaken by Brendan Allen’s cardio and good athleticism. His first UFC loss came after his corner was surprisingly injured after round 4.

8. Israel Adesanya (24-5)

Israel Adesanya is not only one of the best UFC middleweights of all time, but when all is said and done, he will be viewed as one of the greatest fighters of his era. His place in UFC history is sealed, and he is guaranteed a Hall-of-Famer. But “Father Time” comes for us all, and that has been the case for the former champion over the past few years.

After his championship loss in 2024, there were hopes that he could bounce back with a win over rising star Nasourdin Imavov. But in February he looked to have taken a step back and it was evident when he suffered a KO loss for the second time in his MMA career. He hasn’t fought since and is slowly slipping down our top 10.

7. Brendan Allen (26-7)

Brendan Allen was fired up and looking set for a title shot after seven consecutive wins. However, he was given a schedule against the best at 185, and suffered tough losses to Anthony Hernandez and Nasourdin Imov.

However, he has come roaring back ever since. At UFC 318, he scored a hard-fought victory over former title challenger Marvin Vettori. Then at UFC Vancouver, he submitted to red-hot Reinier de Ridder because he couldn’t match his cardio output. Now it is on the verge of reaching the American top five.

6. Anthony Hernandez (15-3)

Anthony Hernandez has quietly become one of the best middleweights in the world. After losing two of his first three and being on the brink of being cut, “Fluffy” rattled off eight consecutive wins, including over Brendan Allen and Roman Dolidze.

His toughest test to date came in February when he faced former division king Sean Strickland. Unfortunately, the former champ completely shut down his wrestling game and laid him to the ground. This is the second knockout defeat of his career. Although he has broken into our top 10, he still remains a tough contender for even the best in the division.

5. Caio Boralho (17-1)

Caio Borralho is one of the fastest rising fighters in the UFC’s middleweight division. After two wins at the Contender Series, the Brazilian made it seven consecutive wins inside the Octagon, including a win over Jared Cannonier at UFC Vegas 96. However, his hot streak was halted in September when it looked like he was a level below top contender Nasourdin Imavov. It was a major blow, but the Brazilian remains an elite talent even at the age of 185.

4. Nasourdin Imavov (16-4)

Nasourdin Imavov has been coming off a very poor run over the past year, which makes him fully deserving of a title opportunity in his next fight. He is undefeated in his last five fights and has wins over several top-10 fighters, including middleweight veteran Israel Adesanya. In September, he got another main event opportunity and defeated fastest rising star Caio Boralho. Arguably, this was his most impressive victory to date.

3.Drics du Plessis (23-3)

Dricas du Plessis has put South African MMA on the map during his career in the UFC. The middleweight star has been victorious in every one of his UFC fights and has defeated champions and veterans on his way to becoming a pound-for-pound fighter. However, he got his match in Chimaev at UFC 319. After dominating “Borz”, the former champion may have to win a fight or two to get another shot at the belt.

2. Shawn Strickland (30-7) – Top Contender

Wildman Sean Strickland may not be the brightest fighter in UFC middleweight history, but he has consistently proven to be a tough test for the world’s best, which is why he proved many doubters wrong by winning UFC gold in 2023.

Although he has had some ups and downs since that victory at UFC 293, including losing the belt in his first title defense, he may have locked up another shot at the belt after scoring a dominant TKO victory over Anthony Hernandez. “Fluffy”‘s eight-fight win streak ends.

1. Khamzat Chimaev (15-0) – Champion

Khamzat Chimaev Train has reached the top of the mountain after a stellar performance in the Octagon. “Borz” has become one of the most popular stars in the sport, but he got his chance at UFC 319 to prove he is one of the best. And he did so by dominating former middleweight king Dricus du Plessis. The Chechen is an absolute monster and one of the scariest fighters on the planet.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

卡姆扎特·奇馬耶夫現在想在 UFC 白宮卡上與亞歷克斯·佩雷拉對決。

奇馬耶夫自去年八月擊敗德里庫斯·杜普萊西斯加冕 UFC 中量級冠軍以來，就沒有再參加過比賽。

3

隨後，“Borz”提出了提升體重級別的想法，試圖成為 UFC 兩個級別的冠軍。

去年12月，這位不敗的俄羅斯-阿聯酋拳手在與輕重量級冠軍佩雷拉對決之前，透露了他捍衛中量級腰帶的計劃。

他說他正在推動佩雷拉，因為UFC“將為此付出高昂的代價”，現在看來奇馬耶夫希望這場超級戰鬥能夠在UFC白宮上演。

卡姆扎特·奇馬耶夫告訴亞歷克斯·佩雷拉他將在白宮結束他

“我們去白宮吧，”奇馬耶夫週一通過 X 寫道。

“別擔心，我會很快解決掉你的，亞歷克斯·佩雷拉。”

他後來補充道：“所有巴西球迷都會告訴這個男孩，如果你不害怕，就告訴他去戰鬥。”

如果奇馬耶夫想首先衛冕中量級冠軍，UFC 最好採取行動，確保他及時為白宮比賽做好準備。

然而，促銷活動可能會決定將奇馬耶夫推遲到六月，屆時白宮演出預計將舉行。